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orthodoxydaily · 4 years ago

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Saints&Reading: Mon., Apr., 12, 2021

April 12/March 30

Saint Sophronius, Bishop of Irkutsk (1771)

Saint Sophronius, Bishop of Irkutsk and WonderWorker of all Siberia, known under the family-name Kristalevsky, was born in Malorussia in the Chernigov region in 1704. His father, Nazari Fedorovich, was "a common man in his affairs, and Sophronii they named Stefan", in honour of the first-martyr archdeacon Stephen. He had two brothers and a sister Pelagia. The name of one brother was Paul. The name of the other older brother is unknown, but there is an account, that he was afterwards head of the Krasnogorsk Zolotonoshsk monastery. The childhood years of Stefan were spent in the settlement of Berezan' in the Pereyaslavl' district of the Poltava governance, where the family settled after the father's discharge from service. When he came of age, Stefan entered the Kiev Theological Academy, where at the time studied two other future saint-hierarchs – Joasaph, future bishop of Belgorod (Comm. 4 September and 10 December), and Paul, future metropolitan of Tobol'sk. Having received a religious education, Stefan entered the Krasnogorsk Transfiguration monastery (afterwards changed to Pokrov / Protection monastery, and in 1789 transformed into a women's monastery), where his elder brother already pursued ascetic life. On 23 April 1730 he took monastic vows with the name of Sophronii, – honour of Saint Sophronios, Patriarch of Jerusalem (Comm. 11 March).

On the night after his taking of monastic vows, the monk Sophronii heard a Voice in the Pokrov church: "When thou shalt become bishop, raise up a church in the name of All Saints", – predicting of his future service. After two years, in 1732, they summoned him to Kiev, in the Sophia cathedral of which they ordained him to the dignity of monkdeacon, and then to priestmonk. Concerning the following period of the life of Saint Sophronii, it says the following in his service-form: "After having taken vows he was treasurer at that Zolotonoshsk monastery for two years, and then he was taken by decree of His Grace Arsenii Berlov of the Pereyaslavl' diocese into the house of his archbishop, in which he was steward for 8 years subject to the Alexander Nevsky monastery, from which during the course of those years he was sent to Saint-Peterburg on hierarchical business, for which in advocacy he spent two years". These facts testify readily enough to the connections of the saint with his original Pokrovsk monastery. During his obedience under the presiding hierarch at Pereyaslavl', he often visited at his monastery, spending the day in quiet contemplation and work, giving example in the making of a monastic brother. During the time of priestmonk Sophronii's sojourn on hierarchical business to the Synod, they showed particular attention to him. And when it became necessary to increase the brethren at the Alexander Nevsky monastery in Saint Peterburg, – 29 monks then in number having been summoned from various monasteries in Russia, in January 1742 was summoned also the future saint. A year later they appointed him treasurer of the monastery, and in 1746 he was appointed to the office of head of the monastery, which he fulfilled for seven years more. For helping him he summoned his fellow countryman, a native of the city of Priluk, – the priestmonk Synesii, and made him the organiser of the Novo-Sergiev monastery, which was associated with the Alexander Nevsky monastery. From this period of time the friendship of the two ascetics, – priestmonk Sophronii and priestmonk Synesii – was strengthened into a single pastoral effort, and they were inseparable until their end in the Siberian land. During these years Saint Sophronii laboured much at the managing of the monastery and improvement of teaching at the seminary located near it. Together with Archbishop Theodosii he concerned himself with the needs of adding to the monastic library. A two-level church was built by him: the top – in the name of Saint Theodore Yaroslavich, older brother of Saint Alexander Nevsky; and the lower – in the name of Saint John Chrysostom. In 1747 the bishop of Irkutsk, Innokentii II (Nerunovich) died. For six years afterwards the territory of the Irkutsk diocese remained without a spiritual head. Finally, the empress Elizaveta Petrovichna (1741-1761) by decree on 23 February 1753 recommended to the Holy Synod the pious head of the Alexander Nevsky monastery Sophronii, as "a person, not only worthy of bishop's dignity, but also quite entirely able to fulfill the wishes and the hopes of the state and the Synod – to take up the burden of episcopal service on the far frontier and satisfy the needs of his flock in that harsh land, amidst wild primitives and lawless people". On 18 April 1753, Thomas Sunday, priestmonk Sophronii was ordained bishop of Irkutsk and Nerchinsk in the Great Uspensky cathedral. Foreseeing difficult service on the distant Siberian frontier, the newly-established bishop did not immediately set off to the Irkutsk eparchy, but rather began to gather up educated and spiritually experienced co-workers. During this period Saint Sophronii visited at his original Krasnogorsk monastery. Also at the holy places of Kiev, he sought the blessings of the Kievo-Perchersk Saints for his service. The constant companion of the saint, just as before, was the priestmonk Synesii, ardently sharing in the life's work of his friend. At Moscow, the Archbishop of Moscow and Sevsk Platon, – who participated in the ordination of then priestmonk Sophronii, provided him further assistance. He taught him fatherly precepts for his impending task, since he was quite familiar with the peculiarities of the Siberian religious manner of life, he forewarned him about the self-willed local authorities, and advised him to gather together trustworthy helpers. On 20 March 1754 the saint arrived at Irkutsk. He went at first to the Ascension monastery – the place of residence of his predecessor, and prayed at the grave of bishop Innokentii (Kul'chitz), imploring his blessing on his impending task. Having familiarised himself with the state of affairs in the diocese, the saint set about the re-organisation of the Spiritual consistory, monasteries and parishes, and turned to the Holy Synod with an appeal to dispatch worthy people for priestly service to the Irkutsk eparchy. Before the arrival of Sainted Sophronii, the Irkutsk monasteries had already a century-old history. The founders of these monasteries were motivated by a fervent desire for ascetic monastic life. The sagacious sainted-bishop appointed as heads of the monastic communities people of piety, wisdom, virtue, and with great experience both of life and things spiritual. In 1754 His Grace Sophronii raised up his friend and companion priestmonk Synesii to be archimandrite of Ascension monastery. This memorable monastic head served the monastery for thirty-three years until his blessed end. In September 1754 the sainted-bishop issued an ukaz (decree), in which concern was noted for the education and upbringing of the children of clergy. By his ukaz to the clergy he considered as a duty the education of their children in the Chasoslov, the Psalter, singing and letters, and this instruction "ought to happen with all industriousness and extremest diligence, so that the children might be able to accomplish the responsibilities of sacristan and deacon according to their due ability". Studying closely both people and circumstances, the sainted-bishop in his sermons and conversations incessantly exhorted all to an higher moral ideal. He devoted particular attention to the reverent and correct doing of Divine-services and priestly Sacraments, and he also watched after the moral purity of laymen; he was concerned about the position of women in the family, and defended them against their unjust inequality. The sainted-bishop attempted everywhere to set straight the ustav (rule) of Divine-services, for which purpose he summoned to himself priests, deacons, sub-deacons and sacristans, who during the time of hierarchical Divine-services participated in the choir or sub-deacons. Journeying about the diocese, the saint noted that not everywhere was the proper attention given to the ringing of bells and incensing, and therefore by means of ukaz he restored the proper censing and ringing of bells. Called to apostolic service in this frontier region, Sainted Sophronii realised, that in addition to the enlightening of believing christians, it availed him to bring to the faith idol-worshippers, who were very numerous in Siberia. To bring pagans to the Church of Christ was difficult, especially since from time to time there was no one to serve in churches, and to borrow for missionary activity made matters all the worse. Knowing how that the hierarchical Divine-services would have a salutary effect on non-Russians, the saint not only himself served with reverence, but also required it of all his clergy. Sainted Sophronii concerned himself over the manner of life of the lesser nations and he contributed to the developement of a stable culture among the local people. He offered them monastic lands for settlements and in every way he endeavoured to isolate them from the influence of paganism. A throng of visitors constantly arrived and came from faraway places for a blessing. But amidst his many cares, he did not forget about his inner spiritual life and eternity – he also led an ascetic life. There is preserved an account about this from the cell-attendant of Sainted Sophronii, which relates, that the saint "used food simple and in small quantity, he served quite often, spent the greater part of the night at prayer, slept on the floor under a sheepskin or if fur – a deerskin or bear hide, and a small simple pillow – this was all his bedding for a sleep of short duration". The spirit of his ascetic life fit in with the general uplift of the Christian spirit in Russia following the glorification of Sainted Dimitrii of Rostov (Comm. 21 September), Theodosii of Chernigov (Comm. 9 September), and in particular the uncovering of the undecayed relics of his predecessor – Sainted Innokentii of Irkutsk (Comm. 9 February). This event inspired Sainted Sophronii with greater strength and encouraged his hope for the help of Sainted Innokentii in his task of building up the diocese. Until the end of his days Sainted Sophronii kept his love for the Krasnogorsk Zolotonoshsk monastery, which had nurtured him in the days of his youth. He constantly contributed support for its upkeep, sending off the necessary means for this. Having sensed a deterioration in his health, Sainted Sophronii made a petition to the Synod to discharge him for rest. But they tarried with an answer from Peterburg, since it was difficult to immediately choose a worthy successor. The final days in the life of Sainted Sophronii were spent in prayerful asceticism. The light, which shone on the good deeds of Sainted Sophronii, continues to the present to testify to the glory of the Heavenly Father, "mercifully having strengthened His saints". And now not only in Siberia at the place of his final deeds, but also at the place of his first deeds, there is reverently preserved the holy memory of Sainted Sophronii. A second commemoration of Sainted Sophronii is made on 30 June (glorification, 1918).

Isaiah 37:33-38:6

33 “Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the king of Assyria: ‘He shall not come into this city, Nor shoot an arrow there, Nor come before it with shield, Nor build a siege mound against it.

34By the way that he came, By the same shall he return; And he shall not come into this city,’ Says the Lord.

35 For I will defend this city, to save it For My own sake and for My servant David’s sake.’ ”

36 Then the angels of the Lord went out, and killed in the camp of the Assyrians one hundred and eighty-five thousand; and when people arose early in the morning, there were the corpses—all dead.

37 So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed and went away, returned home, and remained at Nineveh.

38 Now it came to pass, as he was worshiping in the house of Nisroch his god, that his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer struck him down with the sword; and they escaped into the land of Ararat. Then Esarhaddon his son reigned in his place.

1 In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death. And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, went to him and said to him, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die and not live.’ ”

2 Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed to the Lord,

3 and said, “Remember now, O Lord, I pray, how I have walked before You in truth and with a loyal heart, and have done what is good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.

4 And the word of the Lord came to Isaiah, saying,

5 “Go and tell Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; surely I will add to your days fifteen years.

6 “I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city.”

Proverbs 14:27-15:4

27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, To turn one away from the snares of death.

28 In a multitude of people is a king’s honor, But in the lack of people is the downfall of a prince.

29 He who is slow to wrath has great understanding, But he who is impulsive exalts folly.

30 A sound heart is life to the body, But envy is rottenness to the bones.

31 He who oppresses the poor reproaches his Maker, But he who honors Him has mercy on the needy.

32 The wicked is banished in his wickedness, But the righteous has a refuge in his death.

33 Wisdom rests in the heart of him who has understanding, But what is in the heart of fools is made known.

34 Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a reproach to any people.

35 The king’s favor is toward a wise servant, But his wrath is against him who causes shame.

1 A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger.

2 The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, But the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness.

3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place, Keeping watch on the evil and the good.

4 A wholesome tongue is a tree of life, But perverseness in it breaks the spirit.

#orthodoxy #orthodox christianity #ancientchristianity #originofchristianity #sppirituality #sacred texts #old testament #wisdom

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colorful-yarns-queer-stories · 5 years ago

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Wayward Son: You’re Probably Going to Hate Me for This

A quick caveat: This post took me almost 8 months to write because Wayward Son wrecked me that thoroughly. It left me that much of a mess, reeling that hard over how very wrong it went after Carry On. This post reflects those kinds of feelings from a queer reader, so if you love the book and feel extremely positively toward it, this post is not for you. Just keep scrolling and go on to enjoy your day. Your opinion is valid. If Wayward Son left you feeling sick, betrayed, and worse than before you got it, maybe we can commiserate. If you’re teetering back and forth on whether to read it, this post offers you the worst to look at opposite the best. If you don’t want to hear it, don’t read it. It’s that easy.

On September 24, 2019, I was practically shaking when I opened my eyes and began setting up my cozy reading nook. I requested the day off work, cleared my entire schedule, and settled in my comfiest sweater and blankets with a fully stocked tea cabinet to read what was, for me, one of the most highly anticipated book releases of the year. I pre-ordered a signed physical copy of the book, the audiobook, even got the collectible patch. I could not WAIT to sit down and read the healing story of Simon Snow’s cross-country queer road-trip with his boyfriend Baz and his best friend Penny. I was so excited to see how Simon was helped on his road to recovery from the trauma of the previous book. Rainbow had psyched us up so much to see how things would get better for our favorite Chosen One, despite how hard his journey to mental wellness might be.

Oh, reader. I was so naive.

Now, before I go into my complicated emotions about this book, I need to clarify something. This is not really a book review. This is a brief and personal examination of how queer characters and audiences are advertised toward vs. what product/representation they receive. Because Wayward Son? As a book, it was solid. Great story, great conflict, great characters. A Very Good Book. But it wasn’t the book we were advertised.

If you are a member of the LGBT+ community, you know what it is to be queerbaited. Shows advertise as though there will be LGBT+ representation, market these stories as queer love stories or stories about queer people learning to love themselves, but in the end, those promises are never delivered upon, leaving LGBT+ audiences open to attacks from cishet fans mocking them for hoping for representation in the first place and reminding LGBT+ audiences that their stories will never be center-stage unless they are fetishes, jokes, or tragedies. (Teen Wolf, BBC Sherlock, and The Cursed Child are just a few immediate examples that spring to mind.)

Rainbow Rowell did not technically queerbait. She wrote two LGBT+ main characters! They got together at the end of the first book! She delivered, right? Mmmm, not quite. Yeah, Simon and Baz got together at the end of the first book, and it was wonderful and heartwarming and hopeful, even if it was still a little bittersweet. After all, that’s realistic right? And they are both still the main characters of the second book. They are still together. She kept her word, right? Wrong.

Rainbow Rowell marketed us a hopeful cross-country road-trip with the Chosen One’s boyfriend and best friend in pursuit of healing and recovery for Simon Snow after he was left traumatized and adrift in the wake of saving the magical world. Well, we got a road trip. He did have a boyfriend and best friend present, sort of. Healing? Hahaha no. None. Not even a little bit. We were promised recovery and hope. What we got instead was a whole lot of Queer Suffering. Literally hundreds of pages of it.

Look, part of writing solid representation is being aware of the cultural and political climate in which you are writing. After the 2016 U.S. election, the LGBT+ and POC communities came under massive fire from the U.S. President, the federal government, and all of the devoted bigots who have loudly and violently sworn themselves to the cause of rooting out and eliminating every minority present here in the States. Since 2016, minority communities have done nothing but suffer under attack after attack over and over and over again. If you look at the majority of books published for LGBT+ audiences since 2016, you will notice that most of them are geared toward messages of healing, of hope, of strength in the face of adversity, because that is what we need given the reality of our existence right now. We need strength, we need hope, we need healing. We exist under a constant barrage of hate and vitriol and violence, and the number of hate crimes being committed against minority communities have risen consistently through the entirety of this Presidential term. So when we are marketed a book about hope and healing, by god we are putting faith in you to deliver on that promise, that commitment you are making to us as a community. We are trusting you, giving you our money, our time, our emotional commitment.

Wayward Son did not deliver on those promises of healing and hope and recovery. Nothing positive happened to any of the characters in the book. Nothing. What hope? What healing? What love? You made Simon and Baz essentially strangers planning their breakup from chapter one, not to mention their individual suffering you attached to their own identities (Simon as ex-Chosen One, Baz as a vampire). You made Penelope Bunce lose her partner of several years. You forced Agatha Wellbelove into a traumatic kidnapping specifically imitating and amplifying her brand of trauma from the end of Carry On. Every single character in your book was a minority (LGBT+, POC, QPOC, women), and every single one was forced to suffer even greater trauma this time with no reprieve or recovery from their previous experiences. YOU MARKETED THE BOOK WITH A FU**ING PRIDE PATCH ONLY TO HAVE YOUR QUEER CHARACTERS PLANNING THEIR BREAK UP FROM CHAPTER ONE. WHAT ABOUT THAT ARE WE SUPPOSED TO BE PROUD OF? Did you even take the time to become aware of the big tropes aimed at queer characters by straight authors? Of either burying your gays or making them end up apart? Of why it’s wrong to use your female characters constantly as damsels in distress (I thought you wanted Agatha to be the opposite of that, but here she is being the damsel in distress AGAIN)? Rainbow, YOU were the one who wrote Agatha hating her part in the Chosen One BS. You wrote her hating danger and magic and you wrote her escape only to reel her right back in? Wayward Son felt like Rainbow Rowell hitting the “Undo” button on all of the positive rep she gave us in the last book and replacing it with loads of misery just because cynicism is “In.”

If someone asked me to recommend a YA fantasy for their teen with solid queer rep, a diverse cast, and healthy messages, I absolutely would have had no problem recommending Carry On. I have, in fact, put it into the hands of LGBTQIA+ teens on multiple occasions. I could not, however, recommend Wayward Son. This book was the antithesis to Carry On and destroyed everything I loved about the original. Was Wayward Son, from a literary standpoint, a good book? Absolutely. But I cannot in good conscience recommend it to any LGBT+ readers, especially given the current political and social climate in which we live. Maybe the third installment will be a fix-it. Maybe things will get better. As for me, though, my faith in this author’s representation of minority characters was broken with Wayward Son.

What kills me about it, though… the thing that really just tears me up inside… is that if she had marketed it to us as, “Lol you’re all going to suffer, this book is totally going to hurt,” I would have been okay with it. I love TJ Klune’s books, but they tear your beating heart out of your chest and then feed it back to you by hand. His books hurt. The difference between him and Rainbow Rowell, though, is that he advertises them that way. When he writes something painful, he markets it as painful. When he writes something soft, he markets it as soft. We know we can trust him because he makes realistic promises and then delivers on them. Rainbow did the exact opposite, promising us recovery and giving us nothing but several hundred pages of pain for literally every single character involved. How are we supposed to trust you now? Honestly, for my part, now I know I can’t.

I’m sorry if this is upsetting. I know lots of people (if they ever see this) are gonna be VERY, VERY angry with me for writing it and for feeling this way. But this is my honest take on Wayward Son: the entire book is one giant trigger, and I think that, until there is anything at all positive to offer in its place, that it’s better for LGBT+ and other minority readers to avoid this one. Maybe wait until the next book or stop after Carry On. If you are a member of a minority group and struggle hard with mental health issues, this might be one to avoid for now.

#lgbtq books #queer books #lgbtq book review #book blog #wayward son #simon snow #baz grimm pitch #penelope bunce #agatha wellbelove #penny bunce #rainbow rowell #i'm about to get a lot of hate for this one #that's okay #this is just my opinion as an lgbtq+ reader

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dailyaudiobible · 5 years ago

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11/29/2019 DAB Transcript

Dan 6:1-28, 2 Pet 3:1-18, Ps 119:129-152, Pr 28:21-22

Today is the 29th day of November. Welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I am Brian. Happy…happy Black Friday. It's gonna be a shopping day today. This is the day that is traditionally…well...it traditionally kind of launches the holiday season. And yeah, we’ve mentioned it on a number of occasions, this is the point in the year where things seem to accelerate and for some reason between now and the end of the year it seems like everything’s moving at double speed and it’s really, really easy to get taken out and really easy to get knocked off of our…our usual rhythms. And, so, this is a time to focus in on what's most important and the things that we will not allow ourselves to be moved from and obviously the rhythm of Scripture should be one of those things. And, so, we’ll take the next step forward as we continue our journey through the Scriptures this year. We’re reading from the New International Version this week. Today from the Old Testament Daniel chapter 6.

Commentary:

Okay. So, as we move into the end of our week here and for that matter as we move into the end of this month and get ready for the 12th month of the year, we have concluded second Peter. So, I have a great idea. Let's talk about endurance because that's what the Bible talking about and but today, we have a really good opportunity to understand why endurance is necessary from a cosmic perspective. So, we can apply endurance to our own lives and understand that resistance makes us strong, right? And being…being patient and persevering actually strengthens our lives. So, we can…we can understand that even though it's difficult. But is there a greater purpose that we should endure? That’s what the apostle Peter is talking about it as we conclude this letter today. And as we concluded this letter today, we…we certainly brushed up against the apocalyptic worldview that existed in the first century. And we can go like, “like…well…what do I need to know about the apocalyptic worldview of the first century?” Because we have the same essential apocalyptic worldview. And essentially that is that the world as we know it is a changing thing and a new era is coming and this change that is taking place will eventually bring about unrest and great challenge, but inside of all of that rescue will come and something new will be born. So, we don't usually articulate that but that is a backdrop for our lives. Generally, we all believe this in one way or another and this belief or this sense of the fact that things are going somewhere was a part of the culture that…that Jesus was in in the first century. It actually was the kind of language He used because Jesus continually talked about the kingdom of heaven and revealing the kingdom of heaven, and the nowness of it. In fact, if Jesus were not looked at from a spiritual perspective just as a historical figure then He would generally be considered an apocalyptic profit. So, we’re a couple thousand years in the future since this letter so we know that a couple thousand years have passed since the time Jesus did his ministry on this earth. So, we understand that the…the apocalypse…the time is unknown…even though lots of people are trying to name the dates and figure it out, we accept that we don't know but we still live with the conviction that we are going somewhere, there is an ultimate destiny. And, so, as the generations go by, right, everybody is considering where we are on that continuum. And in light of this, at the time of the writing of second Peter, this understanding hadn't evolved, thousands of years hadn’t passed. And the early believers in the first century, they were not looking toward a…a distant unknown future. They believed that the return of Jesus was imminent. So, in the decades that followed Jesus life, His followers taught that Christ would soon return and reveal himself ushering in the kingdom of God revealing the new heaven and a new earth. And because this is all over the New Testament, we find ourselves basically waiting for the same thing. But in the time of…of Peter's writing, years had passed, and Jesus hadn't returned. So, what they thought was supposed to happen imminently hadn't happened imminently, hadn't happened at all, which left a problem that needed clarity. And, so, Peter stepped into that offering some clarity and I'm quoting here, “above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They’ll say, “where is this coming, He promised”. Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” And skipping ahead a little bit, “but do not forget this one thing, dear friends, with the Lord a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise as some understand slowness. Instead He is patient with you not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” So, this is where things get really interesting for us because we need the same clarity. According to Peter, God isn't being slow about anything, especially His promises. We are being impatient. And the irony is, the thing we are being impatient about is God's patience, which should flick some lights on for those of us who feel like we've been waiting on the Lord for a long time. God doesn't want to lose anyone, and He has entrusted we who have received Christ who are being transformed into His likeness. He has entrusted us to be His witness in the world, to reveal the good news. Now it's easy to quote from Revelation that they overcame by the blood of the lamb and the word of their testimony. That's what we’re talking about here. The blood of the Lamb is our salvation. The word of our testimony is what our lives are communicating to a world that is dying. When we endure. We are embodying God's patience. So, think of it like this, it's very easy for us to say, “Jesus, come. I wish it could be today. Can you just get me out of this mess?” Just, would you return? Would you just make things right?” And I certainly pray those prayers when a more appropriate posture might be, “God strengthen me to endure, to be Your witness in this world to stand here and show that what You…that what I claim to be true is true. May those who are lost and floundering see Your light in me and be drawn to it and help me to endure so that no one will be lost, so that all can hear?” Basically, when we live by faith and endure then we’re doing it for the sake of the world. It would be easy enough for us to say, “okay. If God could just bring fire down and end it all today and start a new thing, I would be with him, that would be great”, but what about…what about those that would be lost? We must find the heart of God in this. So, the next time we’re going berserk because of impatience, we must remember God's patience because if He hadn't been patient with us, we would have never known Him. And there are many that He would like to know. And we are His hands and feet in this world. Jesus said we are the light of the world. When we endure, we are revealing God's kingdom and that is a game changer.

Prayer:

Father we invite Your Holy Spirit into this and we ask that even though today’s a busy day and it's going to be busy, busy, busy, and we can be very distracted, we pray God that You would help us understand that we are here for a reason and it is to reveal the good news and we need to be willing to face whatever challenge that might bring, especially in this season, especially when we have the opportunity to interact and rub up against family and friends that we may not otherwise see the rest of the year. May we be light in the midst of it all, Come Holy Spirit we pray. In the name of Jesus, we ask. Amen.

Announcements:

dailyaudiobible.com is the website its home-base, its where you find out what’s going on around here.

And today is Black Friday, so like one of the biggest shopping days in the year if not the biggest shopping day of the year worldwide. So, I'm guessing that whether online or off-line, maybe chances are good you're going to do some shopping. So, have fun and be careful out there and…and…and share the love of Christ in everything that you do, even if that means you have to give up a parking place. Show the love of Christ.

I'll remind you that it's Black Friday and every…every Christmas season we compile resources and create the Daily Audio Bible family Christmas Box for the year. And, so, it's family Christmas Box for the year 2019 and we’re super excited about this. The things in this Box have…have never been in in any box because they’re…they’re…they’re new. And, so, a number of resources from our Global Campfire line that we…that we released back in September are in the Boxes, some of our most popular items. So, there are the brand-new Global Campfire postcards. There's five postcards. They’re in a nice little package and they’re beautiful, they’re frameable, they’re givable, they’re mailable, they’re shareable, they’re wonderful. And, so, five of them are in the Christmas Box as well as two of the Global Campfire stickers are in the Box. The…the brand-new resource in book form, known as the God of Your Story, which is a one year 365-day devotional that in written form captures the essence of our journey through the Scriptures in a year. So, it is a fantastic gift idea, but it's also a wonderful resource for everyone around the Global Campfire to have. It’s a tangible representation of what it is that we do here. So, this is a beautifully hardbound first edition and this is a signed first edition copy of the God of Your Story. And that's in the Christmas Box. We also have our new Daily Audio Bible Journal 2.0. We have well…we went to the drawing board and crafted a journal that we wanted to be, you know, something that's was beautiful, was the right size, was good to hold, had a good feel to it, had really good paper, was like the kind of thing that would encourage companionship and interaction with and writing in and…well…journaling. And, so, we went to the drawing board and crafted that and had some made and went back to the drawing board after that first batch and refined and just made it even better. And, so, our Journal 2.0 is in the Box this year. Also, fantastic gift for anybody that’s journaler but a wonderful way to set up for the new year. Life of your gonna take the journey through the Bible again then let's write down the things that God shares with us. And as those things accumulate over years, we begin to see the wisdom of God in our lives as He keeps bringing insights from His word into our hearts. So, that's what the Journal 2.0 is about. So, that's in the box. The brand-new Global Campfire candle is in the box. And I've mentioned many times, we worked hard to get this aroma right. It's amazing how an aroma, and we even studied this in the Scriptures when we were talking about the aroma of Christ, which is…which is something that Paul said. But it's incredible how an aroma changes the atmosphere. And, so, like here in the US we just went through Thanksgiving. My wife, she's like a master chef. So, you know, the day before Thanksgiving my house had such a festive, such a homey aroma in it, just a…that the entire atmosphere was permeated in my home. That's what an aroma can do. And we were trying to…to find an aroma that was reminiscent of Campfire and community and sweetness and…and wholeness and nature. And, so, we worked really hard to make the Global Campfire smell like a Global Campfire and…and it does. And, so, we've included a candle in the box. Ahhhh…the Daily Audio Bible ornament for the year 2019, those are only ever available in the Christmas Boxes, is in the Christmas Box. This one, it says Daily Audio Bible 2019 and our word which has been “Maintain” is on the…is on the ornament. And mine is hanging on my tree. And I hope yours will be hanging on your tree soon. We also have your choice of our Daily Audio Bible blend of whole bean coffee or our boutique tea. And the coffee is roasted fresh in Colorado and will be sent…sent. It will arrive to you fresh. It's not something that…well…I mean a lot of the gift Boxes that are out there that will have coffee and that kind of stuff in them, those were roasted may be a couple months ago and they’re just making their way through distribution channels. The coffee that we’re gonna send to you is gonna be roasted like days ago and you’ll be able to tell the difference, significantly. So, your choice, coffee or tea. We also have a pack of the 20 postcards…or…not postcards, Christmas cards, 20 of the Daily Audio Bible 2019 Christmas cards with their companion envelopes. And you can certainly get the Christmas cards in the Daily Audio Bible Shop separate from the Christmas Box, like if you need more than 20 or whatever. They’re five bucks for 20. I mean…and they’re a wonderful way to invite your friends and family along for the journey next year. These are not advertisements for Daily Audio Bible. They say Daily Audio Bible on the back where Hallmark would be written and that's it. But they are beautiful, and they are wonderful way to engage with your sphere of influence and invite your friends and family to be on this journey because where at this point in the year where you can see like a journey through the Bible, I mean it touches everything in your life and it's the constant in a year and it makes such a huge profound difference. So, invite your friends and family along for the journey next year. Anyway, a pack of 20 of the Christmas cards are in the Christmas Box. And lastly, one of the Global Campfire pop sockets, which has been very popular for your phone or your tablet device to…to…it’s a little thing that pulls out and you can use your fingers to kind of hold onto things, that's in the Box as well. So, check that out. Like I said, you can get Christmas cards separate if you need more.

There is a Christmas section in the Daily Audio Bible shop and it contains a few Christmas items including our own family Christmas album that we released…ahhh…I can’t remember…a couple years ago. And you get out on Spotify, you can that on Apple music, just search my name, search for family Christmas, you'll find that. Enjoy a Family Christmas. I created that album to be as classic…like the kind of album…I don't know…I’m a Christmas music lover and I’ve got albums from my childhood that they were made in such a way that they…they feel timeless and that's what I was going for in this instrumental Christmas album. It’s the kind of album that you put on after a busy day, right, you’re just kind of winding down for the night, it's the holiday season, you’ve got the tree on, I don't know, maybe you’ve got a fire, but all the lights are off and you’re just kind of sitting there in the bask of the glow of the lights and this album makes the perfect companion for that atmosphere. So…so, check that out as well. All of these things are available here on Black Friday in the Daily Audio Bible shop dailyaudiobible.com.

The only other thing I want to say about that is that our international cutoff date for shipping of the Christmas Box or for anything Christmas later will be Tuesday. We have an arrangement that allows us to ship via FedEx into another country. But then, that…that country then takes it…takes the item and via their domestic mail system delivers it and that can take 21 days or more. And, so, this is the date that we’re cutting off for international…I mean you can order internationally as long as we have these. Just heads up, like this is the date that we think is the last safe date ship for Christmas and that's just kind of born out of years of experience.

Okay, if you want to partner with the Daily Audio Bible, thank you, thank you, thank you. You can do that at the website, you can do that on the app, you can do that via the mail. The mailing address is PO Box 1996 Spring Hill Tennessee 37174.

And, as always, if you have a prayer request or comment 877-942-4253 is the number to dial or you can just press the Hotline button in app, the little red button up at the top and begin sharing your story.

And that is it for today. I'm Brian I love you and I'll be waiting for you here tomorrow.

Community Prayer and Praise:

Greetings everyone this is Toni from Germany. So, I am calling first and foremost because I am thinking about Prodigal because I remember Prodigal about last time of this…last year…pardon me at about this time where in December you were calling in with some very grim messages. And I’m smiling just thinking about where you are now compared to then. And, so, I’m grateful for that and I’m sure this will make others…other people smile who remember that time and have seen where you’ve come. And, so I’m glad you have hung on and you have listened to the Lord and you’ve leaned on the faith however thin it was and just kept hanging in there and that you’re doing, you know, with the Lord wants you to do basically. So, God bless you and continued…continued joy on your journey. As for me, I’m a little bit better health wise. I called in before. On a long journey of being sick but…and I’ve been using natural remedies but I just kind of feel that this illness that I’ve had is the Lord’s way of actually helping me get some other medical issues under control. So, yeah, so I’m on an interesting journey. A lot of different trials but I’m seeing the Lord in that and I’m trusting him. So, I just want to say too, hello mom. She started listening again. Bye-bye everyone. God bless.

Good morning Daily Audio Bible listeners my name is Vicki I am also called Victorine and I’m calling from Winnipeg in Canada. I am a longtime listener. I’ve listened actually for over 11 years now, but this is the first time I’m calling. I have tried to call before but just not had the courage to post it. Anyway, I’m calling today to ask for prayer because I will be having surgery tomorrow, November 25th, 2019. I know that will long be done by the time you guys listen to this request, but I believe that God is God and He knows what’s to be and I just pray that everything is a success and that my recovery is quick. I am hardly ever sick, and I’ve never gone to anything as major as this. So, needless to say I’m a little worried but I believe God is good and He means good for us and He’s a God that heals and He’s going to heal me. I want to thank you Brian and Jill for all you do. I want to thank you for this forum and thank you for all the people who call in regularly. I listen every time. I enjoy hearing the requests. I pray with people that give requests and I rejoice with those who call in to give prayers that have been answered. I don’t call. Anyway, this is my first time calling but I pray that that’s a __. I do miss some people’s voices like Pastor Gene who has called in the past. I listen for regulars like Biola, like Rebecca from Michigan and, like Blind Tony and several other people. I just…I just thank you so much for having the courage to call often. It is very encouraging. And for those who pray we are with you in spirit. I know I never call in to pray but we do pray for you in the background and we pray that God will walk us all through this different struggles that we have

Hey DAB family this is Dominque I know haven’t checked in a while. I just wanted to say thank you for everything. Thank you for the prayers, thank you for the books, thank you for the year planning…the year Bible reading book. Like I said this is Dominic Crumhold from LDC in Arab Alabama, friends with Pelham Morris. He’s a good brother of mine I love him the death. I’m very happy that God sent him, in my life. I just want to give you a quick update on myself. I’ve moved beyond the fear of the future. I am falling more and more in love with Jesus. I’m understanding and more and more and am emptying out myself more and more. I just recently give my testimony, which was amazing ordeal for me. I just love…I can’t even really explain it…I’m just loving walking with God, walking with my father, walking with dad. And I’m almost done with my program. I graduate in two months. Thank you for your time. Love you all.

Good morning Daily Audio Bible DABbers this is Norma from the Bronx and I just have to call and in the spirit of Thanksgiving, my favorite holiday, a time when I spend meditation particularly just in Thanksgiving for all of the great things that God has done for me for the year. And one of them is definitely for this Daily Audio Bible ministry. I just have to thank Brian for this amazing...I…I…that I divinely got…divinely got…just brought me to and wishing…wishing that I had found Daily Audio Bible sooner. It has been such a blessing to me. And I want to thank your wife for giving you the support to do this Daily Audio Bible forum. I am thankful for the DABbers, the community. I feel like I have brothers and sisters all over the world and I’m just so thankful to Jesus, to your blood, the resurrection, the power of the Holy Ghost. I thank you God for the gospel and just so thankful for all of you. I have you in my heart, I have you in my prayers, and I pray that each and every one of you will have many, many, many reasons to be thankful, to focus…focus on the things, the things you can be thankful for. Don’t focus on the things you don’t have. God bless you and I love you.

Hi everybody this is Susie from Colorado. I’m going to try to talk fast because I have so many praises to report. First of all, his little Cherry, thank you so much for praying for me and my children in Haiti and Joe my husband. We were getting ready for work this morning and my husband turned around and I looked at him and he looked at me and your voice was on DAB praying for us. I was just…it just started this week off so wonderfully. And then I talked to my staff in Haiti at the orphanage in the schools and they wanted to say praise God. We have had the biggest blessing and that not one of our children has had to be rushed to the emergency room during this civil war. This almost never happens. We almost always every week are having to take our children to the emergency room because we have a lot of terminally ill and very severely handicapped children. But God knew that we could not safely get in the streets, so He has kept them safe and well and we’ve had plenty of oxygen. We…this is also a miracle because we just run out of supplies so often with many, many crises, lots of little sick kiddos, but every one of them…no seizures in the last couple months. This is just a miracle. I can’t tell you. So, praise be to God. I mean…really. And thank you. Keep please keep praying for these kids in Haiti. Just we thank you should so very, very, very, very much. We love you and just keep us all in your prayers and just pray that God would keep the kids with no seizures, with no emergencies, and that we would not run about oxygen. We’ve lost a few animals because we couldn’t get into the streets to get food for them but just…and we’ve…

Hey everybody this is Pelham in Arab Alabama with lighthouse deliverance center. Addicted to Christ is my first white stone name that the DAB gave me. I’ve got a couple others, but I won’t mention those right now. I’m calling to let you guys know how…you know…I’m coming up on six months I’ve been in this program here which is…it’s tough but it’s life…but life is tough wherever you are. You face it day-to-day with His help and He’s got treasures along the way if you’re looking for them. So, I’m calling because on Friday…well okay…first of all, I can’t get on the Internet, I cannot listen to the show for the first time in almost a decade that I’ve been a part of this community, I can’t get to the show, I can’t hear Brian, I can’t keep up with what you guys are doing. So…but I still call, and I still let you guys know was going on. So, apparently someone has heard that and low and behold Friday I received a box with about 20 copies of the God of Your Story, the companion to the one-year Bible that goes through the whole thing and it’s get the words that Brian each day. So, now at the beginning of the new year I can keep up with you guys and I can actually read the book and then read Brian’s commentary. I read…I want to give the book to the guys in the program. That’s why they sent so many copies. And thank you so much to who sent them to me. I don’t have but a few more seconds. Brian your words in the opening introduction brought me to tears in front of the men in the program…

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pope-francis-quotes · 6 years ago

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9th March >> (@ZenitEnglish By Jim Fair) #PopeFrancis #Pope Francis Holy Father’s Message for 2019 World Day of Vocations. ‘The courage to take a risk for God’s promise’

“The Lord’s call makes us bearers of a promise and, at the same time, asks of us the courage to take a risk, with him and for him,” Pope Francis said in his message for the 2019 World Day for Vocations.

The Vatican released the message on March 9, 2019; the world day will be observed on the 4th Sunday of Easter, Good Shepherd Sunday, May 12, 2019.

“The Lord’s call is not an intrusion of God in our freedom; it is not a ‘cage’ or a burden to be borne,” the Holy Father said. “On the contrary, it is the loving initiative whereby God encounters us and invites us to be part of a great undertaking. He opens before our eyes the horizon of a greater sea and an abundant catch.”

Following is the Pope’s Full Message

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

After the lively and fruitful experience of the Synod devoted to young people last October, we recently celebrated the Thirty-fourth World Youth Day in Panama City. These two great events allowed the Church to be attentive both to the voice of the Spirit and to the life of young men and women, their questions and concerns, their problems and their hopes.

Building on what I shared with the young people in Panama, I would like to reflect, on this World Day of Prayer for Vocations, on how the Lord’s call makes us bearers of a promise and, at the same time, asks of us the courage to take a risk, with him and for him. I will do this by reflecting briefly with you on these two aspects – promise and risk – as they appear in the Gospel account of the calling of the first disciples by the sea of Galilee (Mk 1:16-20).

Two pairs of brothers – Simon and Andrew, and James and John – are going about their daily tasks as fishermen. In this demanding work, they had learned the laws of nature, yet at times, when the winds were adverse and waves shook their boats, they had to defy the elements. On some days, the catch of fish amply repaid their efforts, but on others, an entire night’s work was not sufficient to fill their nets, and they had to return to shore weary and disappointed.

Much of life is like that. Each of us tries to realize his or her deepest desires; we engage in activities that we hope will prove enriching, and we put out on a “sea” of possibilities in the hope of steering the right course, one that will satisfy our thirst for happiness. Sometimes we enjoy a good catch, while at others, we need courage to keep our boat from being tossed by the waves, or we are frustrated at seeing our nets come up empty.

As with every call, the Gospel speaks of an encounter. Jesus walks by, sees those fishermen, and walks up to them… The same thing happened when we met the person we wanted to marry, or when we first felt the attraction of a life of consecration: we were surprised by an encounter, and at that moment we glimpsed the promise of a joy capable of bringing fulfillment to our lives. That day, by the sea of Galilee, Jesus drew near to those fishermen, breaking through the “paralysis of routine” (Homily for the XXII World Day for Consecrated Life, 2 February 2018). And he immediately made them a promise: “I will make you fishers of men” (Mk1:17).

The Lord’s call is not an intrusion of God in our freedom; it is not a “cage” or a burden to be borne. On the contrary, it is the loving initiative whereby God encounters us and invites us to be part of a great undertaking. He opens before our eyes the horizon of a greater sea and an abundant catch.

God, in fact, desires that our lives not become banal and predictable, imprisoned by daily routine, or unresponsive before decisions that could give it meaning. The Lord does not want us to live from day to day, thinking that nothing is worth fighting for, slowly losing our desire to set out on new and exciting paths. If at times he makes us experience a “miraculous catch”, it is because he wants us to discover that each of us is called – in a variety of ways – to something grand and that our lives should not grow entangled in the nets of ennui that dulls the heart. Every vocation is a summons not to stand on the shore, nets in hand, but to follow Jesus on the path he has marked out for us, for our own happiness and for the good of those around us.

Embracing this promise naturally demands the courage to risk making a decision. The first disciples, called by Jesus to be part of something greater, “immediately left their nets and followed him” (Mk 1:18). Responding to the Lord’s call involves putting ourselves on the line and facing a great challenge. It means being ready to leave behind whatever would keep us tied to our little boat and prevent us from making a definitive choice. We are called to be bold and decisive in seeking God’s plan for our lives. Gazing out at the vast “ocean” of vocation, we cannot remain content to repair our nets on the boat that gives us security but must trust instead in the Lord’s promise.

I think primarily of the call to the Christian life which all of us received at Baptism. It teaches us that our life is not a fluke but rather a gift: that of being God’s beloved children, gathered in the great family of the Church. It is precisely in the ecclesial community that the Christian life is born and develops, especially through the liturgy. The liturgy introduces us to God’s word and the grace of the sacraments; from an early age, we are taught the art of prayer and fraternal sharing. In the end, the Church is our mother because she brings us to new life and leads us to Christ. So we must love her, even when we see her face marred by human frailty and sin, and we must help to make her ever more beautiful and radiant so that she can bear witness to God’s love in the world.

The Christian life thus finds expression in those decisions that, while giving a precise direction to our personal journey, also contribute to the growth of God’s kingdom in our world. I think of the decision to marry in Christ and to form a family, as well as all those other vocations associated with work and professional life, with the commitment to charity and solidarity, with social and political responsibilities, and so forth. These vocations make us bearers of a promise of goodness, love, and justice, not only for ourselves but also for our societies and cultures, which need courageous Christians and authentic witnesses of the kingdom of God.

In encountering the Lord, some may feel the attraction of a call to the consecrated life or to the ordained priesthood. It is a discovery that can excite and at the same time frighten us since we feel called to become “fishers of men” in the barque of the Church by giving totally of ourselves in commitment to faithful service of the Gospel and our brothers and sisters. Such a decision carries the risk of leaving everything behind to follow the Lord, to devote ourselves completely to him, and to share in his work. Many kinds of interior resistance can stand in the way of making this decision, especially in highly secularized contexts where there no longer seems to be a place for God and for the Gospel. Places where it is easy to grow discouraged and fall into the “weariness of hope” (Homily at Mass with Priests, Consecrated Persons and Lay Movements, Panama, 26 January 2019).

And yet, there can be no greater joy than to risk one’s life for the Lord! I would like to say this especially to you, the young. Do not be deaf to the Lord’s call. If he calls you to follow this path, do not pull your oars into the boat, but trust him. Do not yield to fear, which paralyzes us before the great heights to which the Lord points us. Always remember that to those who leave their nets and boat behind, and follow him, the Lord promises the joy of a new life that can fill our hearts and enliven our journey.

Dear friends, it is not always easy to discern our vocation and to steer our life in the right direction. For this reason, there needs to be a renewed commitment on the part of the whole Church – priests, religious, pastoral workers and educators – to provide young people in particular with opportunities for listening and discernment. There is a need for a youth ministry and a vocational promotion that can open the way to discovering God’s plan, above all through prayer, meditation on God’s word, eucharistic adoration and spiritual accompaniment.

As was made clear several times during the World Youth Day in Panama, we should always look to Mary. Also in the story of this young woman, vocation was both a promise and a risk. Her mission was not easy, yet she did not allow fear to prevail. “It was the ‘yes’ of someone prepared to be committed, someone willing to take a risk, ready to stake everything she had, with no more security than the certainty of knowing that she was the bearer of a promise. I ask each one of you: Do you see yourselves as bearers of a promise? What promise do I bear within my heart to take forward? Mary’s would undoubtedly be a difficult mission, but the challenges that lay ahead were no reason to say ‘no’. Things would get complicated, of course, but not in the same way as happens when cowardice paralyzes us because things are not clear or sure in advance” (Vigil with Young People, Panama, 26 January 2019).

On this World Day of Prayer for Vocations, let us join in prayer and ask the Lord to help us discover his plan of love for our lives, and to grant us the courage to walk in the path that, from the beginning, he has chosen for each of us.

From the Vatican, 31 January 2019

Memorial of Saint John Bosco

FRANCIS

9th MARCH 2019 17:14FRANCIS

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christianmenatwork · 4 years ago

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Don't Give Up You Can Change-Selah45-CMAW132

Don’t give up, You can Change! In past talked about Gods mercies regardless what sin we’ve committed. I've been thinking lately about God's mercies not just in terms of our sins of commission, but also of our sins of omission, the good, god-pleasing things we don't do. I was going to simply title this talk "Don't give up!", I didn't record it last night and then this morning I received a First Light devotion from Brother Brian Biggers titled "You can Change" and believed God wanted me to add Brian's thoughts to this message, so my new title is "Don't give up, you can change!"

Recently we were meeting in our Messianic church to celebrate the new moon for the month Ayar. In the Torah God commanded that His people observe times and seasons, including the weekly Sabbath, the new moon, and His 7 feasts throughout the year. It seems to me this serves multiple purposes. For one thing, it reminds us we are His people and it keeps us fixed on Him, living our life connected to Him not apart from Him. In In Dueteronomy and Nehemiah God commands us to observe and keep the Sabbath, but in Exodus 20:8 He says "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy".

Lamentations 3:22-23 NKJV says "Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning;

Great is Your faithfulness."

Lev 19:1-2 says "And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy." God wants us to be holy, because He is holy. He's promised to never leave us nor forsake us. He gave his only Son to pay the penalty for our sins and He gave us the Holy Spirit to comfort and guide us in our walk of sanctification.

We are not under the law in the sense that we must obey the commandments to earn salvation. Jesus took care of that once and for all. But Jesus if you love me, keep my commandments, so we show our love to God by keeping His commandments and living a life that pleases Him.

So the application of this is the same for all of us in some ways, and very different in other ways.

We all have the same Bible and through it can learn of God's commandments which are for all of us.

Yet our journeys are unique in so many ways, and so there are so many things that God is leading us individually toward for a life of abundance as He defines abundance, a life of peace and purpose, surrendered to Him.

I'm going to share how I feel this applies to me and my life in the hope that it may spark some awareness in you of what God is calling you to, or calling you to return to something you've left or stopped doing.

I recently finished my class in Hebrew. Now I have to wait a while before the next class is available. But I don't have to wait. I can occasionally review what I learned to keep it fresh and so I can start to apply it now rather than waiting until I learn more. This falls under the "Use it or lose it" axiom.

This certainly applies to our work. I learned the basics of AutoCAD a year or so ago, which is an amazing program that allows you to create drawings. I haven't used it in a while and so I've been thinking about how I can use that in one of my projects, even if it's not essential at this time but in order to keep my skills sharp.

How about marriage and relationship skills. How many of us have read a book or heard a sermon on marriage and then forgotten it because we didn't apply it. Through Covid I've gotten away from dating my wife and am going to change that.

I spoke in the last Selah episode about a talk I heard on Evangelizing and how I had gotten out of the habit or handing out tracts or really any significant evangelism. Don't give up, you can change!

I used to listen a lot to Dan Mohler and hadn't done so in a quite a while, but recently listened to one of his messages. Some key messages he shared where that God doesn’t want to just save you He wants to transform you, no one owes you anything, forget about your rights, hurt for people rather than be hurt by people, pray for your boss not about your boss, wake up every day and shine, don’t try to NOT sin but rather be like Jesus. These are just life transforming ideas that I was fired up about in the past but had forgotten about. It's a reminder that life transforming ideas don't transform unless you put them into action.

Another habit is memorizing scripture. I was reminded about this in a recent interview with Tom Meyer the Bible Memory Man. It reminded me how I've gotten out of the habit of memorizing scripture.

A good daily habit which will also help you understand what God thinks about which habits and behaviors are good and bad is to read the book of Proverbs daily.

How about parenting your kids? I recently took my youngest daughter out to pick out a purity ring and take her to dinner, a tradition I began with my first 2 daughters. With the first 2 I honestly didn’t prepare well and didn’t have anything profound to say. This time I memorized the speech from the movie Courageous since I didn’t think I could improve on it. I’ll add a link to the video clip in the show notes. I cry whenever I watch it if I haven’t seen it in a while.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w__jZbXYwCg

OK, that's it for my thoughts on this topic, now I want to share with you this great devotion from Pastor Brian Biggers from Lamb's Chapel in Burlington, NC. To sign up for this devotion go to www.TLCAlive.com

You Can Change

No one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine will burst the skins, the wine will be wasted and the skins will be ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins and both will be preserved. And no one having tasted the old immediately desires the new for he says, "the old is better".

Luke 5:37-39

This passage has nothing to do with wine. It is dealing with the attitudes of people and their willingness to change for the better. Our unwillingness to change even when we know it will be for the better is portrayed as an "old wineskin". When wineskins get old, they begin to stiffen and harden. They become resistant to change. They become crotchety and stubborn. Since new wine is still expanding as it ferments, the skin must be flexible enough to change with the shape that the wine demands. I've even met some "old wineskins" that are proud of their "hardness". People that are content to stay right where they are until they croak! You may wonder what's wrong with being stuck in the fifty's? One problem. The God of heaven is always (and I mean always) wanting to do a "new thing" in you. Contrary to religious thinking in this country, the God of the Bible is always working to take you from "glory to glory". He is always orchestrating the details of your life to move you into a greater revelation of His Son in you and for you to become a greater revelation of His Son in the earth! Wine in the Bible always refers to the Holy Spirit. It is His Spirit that is always expanding His presence in my heart to change me more and more into what I was created to be which is a reflection of Christ to His world. To demand to stay like you are, where you are and always be who you are now is comfortable, easy, familiar and painless. It is also deadly! "No one puts new wine in old skins". Want to take a guess at the spiritual revelation? God stops working in lives that become stiff and set, refusing to change. He won't waste His precious Spirit on lives and churches that are stuck in the past refusing to change and grow into His likeness. High price to pay for being stiff and unbendable before His Spirit. The good news? New wine MUST be put in new wineskins! The heart that is pliable in His great hand and willing to be shaped and molded by Him will always experience God at work to bring them into His best plan for them! Change is uncomfortable. It is inconvenient. It can be humbling! But the result is wonderful! Our Father has promised to work in our lives to keep bringing us to greater levels of glory by His Spirit. New experiences of His joyous plans in us constantly. My part is to be willing to overlook the discomfort that comes with change as God keeps moving me toward His ultimate great plan for me! The slight pain is very much worth the glorious gain! Let me admonish you, especially those of you who are "well down the road" since age and stiff seem to go together, that you will always be willing to be pliable in His hand and be ready for any change He wants to make in you for the greater glory!

Father, I don't want to become an old wineskin that you have to shelve because I would not adapt to what you are doing today. I will gladly give up yesterday's good for today's greater!

End Times (Eschotology) Nelson Walters Youtube Channel to help give you insight into how prophecy may be playing out today. One video in particular is titled "How the 7 Feasts of the Lord will be fulfilled in the Tribulation"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1KtyFQ0V4Y

... I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.

1 Corinthians 9:22b - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=1%20Corinthians%209:22&version=NKJV

We work with all types of people in our work place. Learn to listen to others at work, and adapt yourself to their style and what's important and interesting to them. You can do this without sinning and without compromising the Gospel

A -

Apologetics-Something to say if topic comes up about getting grey hair: "The silver-haired head is a crown of glory, If it is found in the way of righteousness." or if you're not quite that bold maybe just the first half "The silver-haired head is a crown of glory". It will probably take them back since they probably never heard someone say that and they may wonder where you got that from, and they may ask.

Proverbs 16:31 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Proverbs%2016:31&version=NKJV

From Ben LaCorte

No-one can refute your testimony, and you're sharing something deep-rooted in yourselves, and it's a real-life true story.

H - John Shirey - Time Management

The rule of 13 divides the week into 21 time periods and says if you're committed to more than 13 of those time periods you're too busy. That's bondage, captivity. You have no time for spontaneity, to relax, time with your family. If you don't have that bondage, you have more freedom to be creative and to respond to opportunities.

Check out this episode!

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dfroza · 4 years ago

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Love seeks to teach us humility.

we see this throughout the Scriptures, including Today’s reading from the book of Matthew:

“Examine your motives to make sure you’re not showing off when you do your good deeds, only to be admired by others; otherwise, you will lose the reward of your heavenly Father. So when you give to the poor, don’t announce it and make a show of it just to be seen by people, like the hypocrites in the streets and in the marketplace. They’ve already received their reward! But when you demonstrate generosity, do it with pure motives and without drawing attention to yourself. Give secretly and your Father, who sees all you do, will reward you openly.”

“Whenever you pray, be sincere and not like the pretenders who love the attention they receive while praying before others in the meetings and on street corners. Believe me, they’ve already received their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your innermost chamber and be alone with Father God, praying to him in secret. And your Father, who sees all you do, will reward you openly. When you pray, there is no need to repeat empty phrases, praying like the Gentiles do, for they expect God to hear them because of their many words. There is no need to imitate them, since your Father already knows what you need before you ask him. Pray like this:

‘Our Beloved Father, dwelling in the heavenly realms,

may the glory of your name

be the center on which our lives turn.

Manifest your kingdom realm,

and cause your every purpose to be fulfilled on earth,

just as it is in heaven.

We acknowledge you as our Provider

of all we need each day.

Forgive us the wrongs we have done as we ourselves

release forgiveness to those who have wronged us.

Rescue us every time we face tribulation

and set us free from evil.

For you are the King who rules

with power and glory forever. Amen.’

“And when you pray, make sure you forgive the faults of others so that your Father in heaven will also forgive you. But if you withhold forgiveness from others, your Father withholds forgiveness from you.”

“When you fast, don’t look gloomy and pretend to be spiritual. They want everyone to know they’re fasting, so they appear in public looking miserable and disheveled. Believe me, they’ve already received their reward. When you fast, don’t let it be obvious, but instead, wash your face and groom yourself and realize that your Father in the secret place is the one who is watching all that you do in secret and will continue to reward you.”

“Don’t keep hoarding for yourselves earthly treasures that can be stolen by thieves. Material wealth eventually rusts, decays, and loses its value. Instead, stockpile heavenly treasures for yourselves that cannot be stolen and will never rust, decay, or lose their value. For your heart will always pursue what you esteem as your treasure.

“The eyes of your spirit allow revelation-light to enter into your being. If your heart is unclouded, the light floods in! But if your eyes are focused on money, the light cannot penetrate and darkness takes its place. How profound will be the darkness within you if the light of truth cannot enter!

“How could you worship two gods at the same time? You will have to hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You can’t worship the true God while enslaved to the god of money!”

“This is why I tell you to never be worried about your life, for all that you need will be provided, such as food, water, clothing—everything your body needs. Isn’t there more to your life than a meal? Isn’t your body more than clothing?

“Consider the birds—do you think they worry about their existence? They don’t plant or reap or store up food, yet your heavenly Father provides them each with food. Aren’t you much more valuable to your Father than they? So, which one of you by worrying could add anything to your life?

“And why would you worry about your clothing? Look at all the beautiful flowers of the field. They don’t work or toil, and yet not even Solomon in all his splendor was robed in beauty like one of these! So if God has clothed the meadow with hay, which is here for such a short time and then dried up and burned, won’t he provide for you the clothes you need—you of little faith?

“So then, forsake your worries! Why would you say, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ For that is what the unbelievers chase after. Doesn’t your heavenly Father already know the things your bodies require?

“So above all, constantly seek God’s kingdom and his righteousness, then all these less important things will be given to you abundantly. Refuse to worry about tomorrow, but deal with each challenge that comes your way, one day at a time. Tomorrow will take care of itself.”

The Book of Matthew, Chapter 6 (The Passion Translation)

Today’s paired chapter of the Testaments is the 3rd chapter of Ezra that documents the starting point of the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem:

[The Building Begun]

When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled into their towns, the people assembled together in Jerusalem. Jeshua son of Jozadak and his brother priests, along with Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, and his relatives, went to work and built the Altar of the God of Israel to offer Whole-Burnt-Offerings on it as written in The Revelation of Moses the man of God.

Even though they were afraid of what their non-Israelite neighbors might do, they went ahead anyway and set up the Altar on its foundations and offered Whole-Burnt-Offerings on it morning and evening. They also celebrated the Festival of Booths as prescribed and the daily Whole-Burnt-Offerings set for each day. And they presented the regular Whole-Burnt-Offerings for Sabbaths, New Moons, and God’s Holy Festivals, as well as Freewill-Offerings for God.

They began offering Whole-Burnt-Offerings to God from the very first day of the seventh month, even though The Temple of God’s foundation had not yet been laid.

They gave money to hire masons and carpenters. They gave food, drink, and oil to the Sidonians and Tyrians in exchange for the cedar lumber they had brought by sea from Lebanon to Joppa, a shipment authorized by Cyrus the king of Persia.

In the second month of the second year after their arrival at The Temple of God in Jerusalem, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua son of Jozadak, in company with their brother priests and Levites and everyone else who had come back to Jerusalem from captivity, got started. They appointed the Levites twenty years of age and older to direct the rebuilding of The Temple of God. Jeshua and his family joined Kadmiel, Binnui, and Hodaviah, along with the extended family of Henadad—all Levites—to direct the work crew on The Temple of God.

When the workers laid the foundation of The Temple of God, the priests in their robes stood up with trumpets, and the Levites, sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise God in the tradition of David king of Israel. They sang antiphonally praise and thanksgiving to God:

Yes! God is good!

Oh yes—he’ll never quit loving Israel!

All the people boomed out hurrahs, praising God as the foundation of The Temple of God was laid. As many were noisily shouting with joy, many of the older priests, Levites, and family heads who had seen the first Temple, when they saw the foundations of this Temple laid, wept loudly for joy. People couldn’t distinguish the shouting from the weeping. The sound of their voices reverberated for miles around.

The Book of Ezra, Chapter 3 (The Message)

my personal reading of the Scriptures for monday, march 8 of 2021 with a paired chapter from each Testament of the Bible, along with Today’s Psalms and Proverbs

A post by John Parsons that looks deeper into this week’s Torah reading:

Shalom friends. This week we have a "double portion" of Torah: parashat Vayakhel (ויקהל) and parashat Pekudei (פקודי). Much of this material is repeated from the earlier description of the Tabernacle (המשׁכן) to underscore the importance of the sacrificial system (the altar) and to foretell the two advents of Messiah Yeshua. Note that God commanded Moses to assemble the Tabernacle on "the first month in the second year [from the date of the Exodus], on the first day of the month" (i.e., Nisan 1, or Rosh Chodashim, see Exod. 40:17). The new moon of Nisan, then, marks the beginning of the month of salvation (חודש הישועה), both regarding the Exodus from Egypt (and the establishment of the altar at the Tabernacle), as well as the greater Exodus the altar at the cross of Messiah (Luke 9:31).

Once the Tabernacle was fully assembled and all its vessels were accounted for and inspected, Moses anointed all its components with the sacred anointing oil, called shemen ha-mishchah (note that the word "mishchah" (משׁחה) comes from the same root as "Messiah" (משׁיח), indicating that the Mishkan (i.e., Tabernacle) would foreshadow God's plan of redemption given in Yeshua). Moses then formally initiated Aaron and his four sons into the priesthood, marking their hands and feet with sacrificial blood and “waving them” before the Lord to picture resurrection. The Divine Presence - manifest as the Shekhinah Cloud of Glory – then filled the Holy of Holies in the Tent of Meeting.

The Book of Exodus ends: “And Moses was not able to enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the Glory of the LORD (כבוד יהוה) filled the Mishkan (המשׁכן). Throughout all their journeys, whenever the Cloud was taken up from over the Mishkan, the people of Israel would set out. But if the Cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out till the day that it was taken up. For the Cloud of the LORD (i.e., anan Adonai: ענן יהוה) was on the Mishkan by day, and Fire was in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys” (Exod. 30:35-38).

The Presence of the Glory of God that descended from Sinai upon the newly dedicated Mishkan represented a climactic moment for the fledgling nation, since the Sin of the Golden Calf had jeopardized whether God would indeed dwell within the midst of the camp of Israel... Recall that it was only after Moses had returned from Sinai bearing the second set of Tablets (on Yom Kippur) that the glow of the LORD’s redeeming love radiated from his face, and new hope was given to Israel (prefiguring the New Covenant). The King of Glory would accompany the people from Sinai to the Promised Land! (The narrative continues in the Book of Numbers, beginning exactly one month after the Mishkan was assembled.) [Hebrew for Christians]

3.7.21 • Facebook

Today’s message from the Institute for Creation Research

March 8, 2021

The Dying Thief

“And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:42-43)

One of the most remarkable scriptural passages is that of the “deathbed” conversion of the sinful thief crucified with Jesus. Christ recognized his repentance, forgave his sin, and offered him eternal life as he died. As reflected in the hymn “There Is a Fountain,” salvation comes to sinners who repent, turn from their sin, and believe on Him, without any works involved or strings attached.

The dying thief rejoiced to see

That fountain in his day;

And there may I, though vile as he,

Wash all my sins away.

The “fountain” of blood flowing from the cross produces great rejoicing in those who have acknowledged His lasting work. “With the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1:19), we can be forgiven and born into His family. We receive the ability for and privilege of living victorious, holy lives. “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed” (1 Peter 2:24).

All have chosen sin; all deserve judgment. “There is none righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3:10). But because of Him, we can be “justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24). “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!” (Romans 11:33). JDM

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northamptoncouplestherapy · 4 years ago

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Embarking on a lifetime commitment in the form of marriage is a leap of faith for anyone. But for those of us who have experienced divorce firsthand, it can feel like an even greater one. It is no wonder that the second marriage divorce rate is as high as 67 percent.

The understandable desire to "get it right this time” and learn from your mistakes can create pressure and challenges unique to remarriage.

Furthermore, partners often bring an amplified level of hope and angst into their new relationship, albeit often unconsciously. Whether you are longing for a sense of connection that was absent in your previous marriage or seeking a reparative family experience, these pressures can set the stage for conflict and reactivity in your second marriage.

Simultaneously, the baggage of past hurts and betrayals can leave scars that impact the level of trust and connection you share with your spouse. In modern-day love, there is a tendency to view our spouse as the ultimate balm for our wounds. Add to that the complex family dynamics of remarriage, in the form of blended families and ex-spouses, and it's no wonder people struggle.

Despite all of this, there are reasons to remain hopeful, and many things you can do to stack the cards in your favor.

Take Your Time

The first thing we at NCCT recommend to anyone embarking on a second marriage is to go slow. Having a second chance at love can feel so intoxicatingly good, especially if you are coming out of a desert of loneliness, a painful first marriage or a long stretch of single parenting.

However, the research is clear. Blended families take an average of 4 1/2 years to get their bearings.

When your kids are rushed to accept a new family member, it can put unbearable demands on your relationship. However, even if you do not have children, there is wisdom in pacing things.

According to John Gottman, a leading expert in the field of marital distress, the first few years of a relationship are devoted to establishing trust and learning how to navigate conflict.

This is a time when your are building a foundation by working through the day-to-day stuff with each other.Think: chores, sex and money. You are establishing a new culture together, and learning how to do that takes time.

Adjust Your Expectations

Equally important is that you consider "recalibrating" your expectations of what marriage and family will look like early on. If you can enter the union with a deeper understanding of the tasks and challenges at hand, you will be less likely to panic. You will also be better equipped to hang on during tough times.

One proactive way to gain that understanding is to seek premarital or couples therapy. Devote time to building a strong foundation. Refine your communication skills. Talk about the tough stuff. Expand on dreams and, when applicable, become more informed on the tasks and demands of step parenting.

Wield the Wisdom of Experience

Second marriages provide a chance to choose your life partner with the insights and experience of your adult self. There is the potential to re-partner from a place of greater maturity, clarity and health.

It affords you the opportunity to embark on a life with a spouse, who may very well be a better fit for who you than the person you chose in your youth.

Similarly, if you have been married previously, you have likely cultivated a unique and valuable set of skills. You have had a chance to practice, to learn from your mistakes. You probably understand that the grass is not always greener, that fantasies of a better something or someone are not rooted in reality, and that much can be gained from appreciating where you are in the here and now.

Find Growth in the Grey

At NCCT we have seen the “grass is greener” mindset play itself out in some remarriage scenarios, however, there are times the opposite situation proves to be true.

Having tasted divorce in the past can cause you to lose the fear of separation in the present. Perhaps you can better visualize yourself outside of the marriage than someone who has never been married or divorced before.

Or maybe you are more financially independent as a result of having had to support yourself and your kids on a one-person income. Having had success flying solo can reduce the deterring effect that the sting and stigma of divorce has on first-timers.

This theory provides reasonable justification for the fact that one in four second marriages end after just five years. It’s possible that we don’t “stay” simply because the experience of leaving, or being left in the past, creates a tendency to exit a marriage prematurely. This, of course, is a mixed bag.

Options are great, and so is the ability to support yourself and leave an unhealthy relationship...but there is a grey area. A space where a marriage is neither thriving nor intolerable.

One could make the case that it is within this grey area where you will discover the most growth and intimacy with your spouse. Where you will experience greater levels of gratitude and humility, which will, in turn, cultivate growth, change and a relationship that endures.

In "What Makes Love Last?" Gottman writes, “life tends to go better for those who have the courage to trust others.” While courage might be harder to come by, that vulnerability is precisely what you need to grow levels of trust and intimacy and navigate the new terrain you both find yourselves in.

This is true for first marriages, second marriages, third marriages and beyond. The crucial skills that predict marriage success are the same for all couples, no matter where they find themselves on their romantic journey.

So, breathe easy. The odds can be tipped in your favor when you and your spouse are both committed to putting these practices into play. If your new marriage has created a blended family, here are some helpful tips on how to cope with unique step parenting struggles.

Also, keep in mind that there is simply no replacement for objective, research-based couples therapy. If you are having trouble coping with the unique challenges of a second marriage or blended family, reach out to a licensed couples therapist.

From the Gottman Method to Emotionally Focused Therapy to Pragmatic Experiential Couples Therapy (PEX), we apply science-based methodologies to every couples retreat, premarital counseling retreat and couples therapy weekend we offer. We also offer weekly sessions for those who can find time to break away during the week.

#marriage #divorce

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anastpaul · 7 years ago

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Saint of the Day – 16 November – St Gertrude the Great (1256-1302) Virgin, Benedictine Religious, Mystic, Theologian, Writer. Born – on 6 January 1256 at Eisleben, Thuringia (part of modern Germany) – she died on a Wednesday of Easter season, 17 November 1302 at the convent of Saint Mary’s of Helfta, Saxony (part of modern Germany) of natural causes. Her relics reside in the old monastery of Helfta. Patronages – • nuns • Magdeburg, Germany, diocese of • Naples, Italy • West Indies. Attributes – • crown • lily • taper, candle. St Gertrude received equipotent canonisation and a universal feast day was declared in 1677 by Pope Clement XII.

St Gertrude the Great, of whom I would like to talk to you today, brings us once again this week to the Monastery of Helfta, where several of the Latin-German masterpieces of religious literature were written by women. Gertrude belonged to this world. She is one of the most famous mystics, the only German woman to be called “Great”, because of her cultural and evangelical stature: her life and her thought had a unique impact on Christian spirituality. She was an exceptional woman, endowed with special natural talents and extraordinary gifts of grace, the most profound humility and ardent zeal for her neighbour’s salvation. She was in close communion with God both in contemplation and in her readiness to go to the help of those in need.

At Helfta, she measured herself systematically, so to speak, with her teacher, Matilda of Hackeborn, of whom I spoke at last Wednesday’s Audience. Gertrude came into contact with Matilda of Magdeburg, another medieval mystic and grew up under the wing of Abbess Gertrude, motherly, gentle and demanding. From these three sisters she drew precious experience and wisdom; she worked them into a synthesis of her own, continuing on her religious journey with boundless trust in the Lord. Gertrude expressed the riches of her spirituality not only in her monastic world but also and above all in the biblical, liturgical, Patristic and Benedictine contexts, with a highly personal hallmark and great skill in communicating.

Gertrude was born on 6 January 1256, on the Feast of the Epiphany but nothing is known of her parents nor of the place of her birth. Gertrude wrote that the Lord himself revealed to her the meaning of this first uprooting: “I have chosen you for my abode because I am pleased that all that is lovable in you is my work…. For this very reason I have distanced you from all your relatives, so that no one may love you for reasons of kinship and that I may be the sole cause of the affection you receive” (The Revelations, I, 16, Siena 1994, pp. 76-77).

When she was five years old, in 1261, she entered the monastery for formation and education, a common practice in that period. Here she spent her whole life, the most important stages of which she herself points out. In her memoirs she recalls that the Lord equipped her in advance with forbearing patience and infinite mercy, forgetting the years of her childhood, adolescence and youth, which she spent, she wrote, “in such mental blindness that I would have been capable… of thinking, saying or doing without remorse everything I liked and wherever I could, had you not armed me in advance, with an inherent horror of evil and a natural inclination for good and with the external vigilance of others. “I would have behaved like a pagan… in spite of desiring you since childhood, that is since my fifth year of age, when I went to live in the Benedictine shrine of religion to be educated among your most devout friends”(ibid., II, 23, p. 140f.).

Gertrude was an extraordinary student, she learned everything that can be learned of the sciences of the trivium and quadrivium, the education of that time; she was fascinated by knowledge and threw herself into profane studies with zeal and tenacity, achieving scholastic successes beyond every expectation. If we know nothing of her origins, she herself tells us about her youthful passions: literature, music and song and the art of miniature painting captivated her. She had a strong, determined, ready and impulsive temperament. She often says that she was negligent; he recognises her shortcomings and humbly asks forgiveness for them. She also humbly asks for advice and prayers for her conversion. Some features of her temperament and faults were to accompany her to the end of her life, so as to amaze certain people who wondered why the Lord had favoured her with such a special love.

From being a student she moved on to dedicate herself totally to God in monastic life, and for 20 years nothing exceptional occurred: study and prayer were her main activities. Because of her gifts she shone out among the sisters; she was tenacious in consolidating her culture in various fields. Nevertheless during Advent of 1280 she began to feel disgusted with all this and realised the vanity of it all. On 27 January 1281, a few days before the Feast of the Purification of the Virgin, towards the hour of Compline in the evening, the Lord with his illumination dispelled her deep anxiety. With gentle sweetness He calmed the distress that anguished her, a torment that Gertrude saw even as a gift of God, “to pull down that tower of vanity and curiosity which, although I had both the name and habit of a nun alas I had continued to build with my pride, so that at least in this manner I might find the way for you to show me your salvation” (ibid., II, p. 87). She had a vision of a young man who, in order to guide her through the tangle of thorns that surrounded her soul, took her by the hand. In that hand Gertrude recognised “the precious traces of the wounds that abrogated all the acts of accusation of our enemies” (ibid., II, 1, p. 89), and thus recognised the One who saved us with His Blood on the Cross: Jesus.

From that moment her life of intimate communion with the Lord was intensified, especially in the most important liturgical seasons Advent-Christmas, Lent-Easter, the feasts of Our Lady even when illness prevented her from going to the choir. This was the same liturgical humus as that of Matilda, her teacher; but Gertrude describes it with simpler, more linear images, symbols and terms that are more realistic and her references to the Bible, to the Fathers and to the Benedictine world are more direct.

Her biographer points out two directions of what we might describe as her own particular “conversion”: in study, with the radical passage from profane, humanistic studies to the study of theology, and in monastic observance, with the passage from a life that she describes as negligent, to the life of intense, mystical prayer, with exceptional missionary zeal. The Lord who had chosen her from her mother’s womb and who since her childhood had made her partake of the banquet of monastic life, called her again with his grace “from external things to inner life and from earthly occupations to love for spiritual things”. Gertrude understood that she was remote from him, in the region of unlikeness, as she said with Augustine; that she had dedicated herself with excessive greed to liberal studies, to human wisdom, overlooking spiritual knowledge, depriving herself of the taste for true wisdom; she was then led to the mountain of contemplation where she cast off her former self to be reclothed in the new. “From a grammarian she became a theologian, with the unflagging and attentive reading of all the sacred books that she could lay her hands on or contrive to obtain. She filled her heart with the most useful and sweet sayings of Sacred Scripture. Thus she was always ready with some inspired and edifying word to satisfy those who came to consult her while having at her fingertips the most suitable scriptural texts to refute any erroneous opinion and silence her opponents” (ibid., I, 1, p. 25).

Gertrude transformed all this into an apostolate: she devoted herself to writing and popularising the truth of faith with clarity and simplicity, with grace and persuasion, serving the Church faithfully and lovingly so as to be helpful to and appreciated by theologians and devout people.

Little of her intense activity has come down to us, partly because of the events that led to the destruction of the Monastery of Helfta. In addition to The Herald of Divine Love and The Revelations, we still have her Spiritual Exercises, a rare jewel of mystical spiritual literature.

In religious observance our Saint was “a firm pillar… a very powerful champion of justice and truth” (ibid., I, 1, p. 26), her biographer says. By her words and example she kindled great fervour in other people. She added to the prayers and penances of the monastic rule others with such devotion and such trusting abandonment in God that she inspired in those who met her an awareness of being in the Lord’s presence. In fact, God made her understand that he had called her to be an instrument of his grace. Gertrude herself felt unworthy of this immense divine treasure, and confesses that she had not safeguarded it or made enough of it. She exclaimed: “Alas! If You had given me to remember You, unworthy as I am, by even only a straw, I would have viewed it with greater respect and reverence that I have had for all Your gifts!”(ibid., II, 5, p. 100). Yet, in recognising her poverty and worthlessness she adhered to God’s will, “because”, she said, “I have so little profited from your graces that I cannot resolve to believe that they were lavished upon me solely for my own use, since no one can thwart your eternal wisdom. Therefore, O Giver of every good thing who has freely lavished upon me gifts so undeserved, in order that, in reading this, the heart of at least one of Your friends may be moved at the thought that zeal for souls has induced you to leave such a priceless gem for so long in the abominable mud of my heart” (ibid., II, 5, p. 100f.).

Two favours in particular were dearer to her than any other, as Gertrude herself writes: “The stigmata of Your salvation-bearing wounds which you impressed upon me, as it were, like a valuable necklaces, in my heart and the profound and salutary wound of love with which you marked it. “You flooded me with your gifts, of such beatitude that even were I to live for 1,000 years with no consolation neither interior nor exterior the memory of them would suffice to comfort me, to enlighten me, to fill me with gratitude. Further, You wished to introduce me into the inestimable intimacy of your friendship by opening to me in various ways that most noble sacrarium of Your Divine Being which is Your Divine Heart…. To this accumulation of benefits you added that of giving me as Advocate the Most Holy Virgin Mary, your Mother and often recommended me to her affection, just as the most faithful of bridegrooms would recommend His beloved bride to His own mother” (ibid., II, 23, p. 145).

(via AnaStpaul – Breathing Catholic)

#stgertrudethegrat #november16stgertrudethegreat #catholic #catholicism

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carltivation · 5 years ago

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Carltivation #1: One step at a time

In a world where everything seems to be in a hurry, we tend to be swept away by the rushing current, a current that gushes through our lives as we wake up in the morning and face our everyday battles. We come to school, attend our classes, study for our exams, come home, do our homeworks, and go to sleep for yet another day of endless routine. And if we stop and pause for a moment in our lives, we feel like we are now left behind by the world and feel hopeless in our situations. We feel like life is a train that goes on and on without ever stopping. In our world today, it has now become a sin to rest.

We all need a “pause” button every once in a while in our lives. In this article, I want to encourage you to pause for a bit and reflect on our lives as we continue our academic journey.

Let me share to you the first carltivation I ever shared in class. Since it was the first day of classes and we all feel the excitement and passion to attend our classes and start the semester, I thought I should encourage my students to first slow down and take one step at a time. It is a simple encouragement yet we often forget to do especially towards the middle of the semester where we are pressured by the required deliverables of our subjects. It is also very practical since it not only applies to our academic lives but also to our everyday lives.

How are we able to start doing something one step at a time? Here are three practical tips to consider.

1. Define your goal

Ever since I started teaching in the university, the first question that I want my students to reflect upon at the start of the semester is “what motivates you in life?”. I wanted them to reflect on the question and write their answers on an index card, which is also my way of acquainting with my students.

“I want to give back to my parents”. “I want to serve the nation”. “I want to build a good family”. Those are some of the answers that my students wrote. All of these are really great motivations in life and I told them to stick up to these until the end so that when circumstances and trials in life come along the semester, they are able to reflect back on these motivations and realign their focus accordingly.

This is what I mean by defining our goals. It is our main driving force to act on the simplest and smallest matters such as doing our homeworks or attending our classes. It is towards these greater causes that we are able to commit to these mundane tasks of our everyday life. We may experience burnout along the way but once we define our ultimate destination, we are able to endure and carry on with our journey since we know where we are going. Hence, we have to define that destination.

2. Devote yourself to the goal

Once we know our goal, the next step is to take a step. It sounds really simple, but it really is not. The first step is always the most difficult step in our journey. But we have to take it to be able to start the journey.

It is the step to not deliberately cut your classes. It is the step to prioritize your academics above the extra-curriculars. It is the step to put honor before excellence while taking your examinations. These commitments may be seemingly difficult and impossible for some of us, but as the carltivation says, we take one step at a time. We may not be able to come to our classes with perfect attendance this semester, but being able to improve from three absences per semester to just two absences per semester is already a great step. It does not really happen in just one big leap of faith, but through baby steps. The outcome of our commitments may not be close to our expectations, but as long as we remain devoted towards the goal, we are on the right track.

3. Delight in your journey

Most importantly, we take delight in the journey we are undertaking. This one is really tricky since we cannot tell ourselves to delight into something we are not really delighted to in the first place. Delight is a natural state of joy and satisfaction and it is not something that can be forced or manufactured. So in line with that, how can we take delight in our journey?

To be honest, I cannot really answer that question on your behalf since you are the only one who could answer that question. It is ultimately up to the person undertaking the journey to discover that “thing” which they are delighted into. To help you find that delight, ask yourself the following question: “when did I ever find that joy and satisfaction in my academic life?”. Perhaps you could start from that small experience you have had in your life so that you may be able to find your way back to that delight. If you still fail to find even that smallest hint of delight in your journey, which I hope not, maybe it is time for you to reflect if the course you are taking right now is really the course you want to finish. Do not be afraid to shift courses if you do not feel it anymore, since it is more important to start on something you are delighted into than to finish something you are not delighted into.

Finally, it is completely fine to undertake the journey with a slow pace. Taking one step at a time is not a sprint but it is more like a walk. And taking delight in the journey means you are not in a rush to finish the course but you are enjoying the process. The academic life is not a race where the first ones to finish are the winners. We all have our own unique pace in life and you just have to find your own pace. No matter how slow or fast you are in your academic journey, as long as you are in the right track, you are fine.

So with that, I hope you are encouraged to continue on with your academic journey and to start walking towards your goal one step at a time. 😊

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ilovearticlesoffaith-blog · 6 years ago

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Twenty-Five Reasons Why You Must Have A Mega Church?

You must desire to have a mega church because that is the most appropriate vision and goal for a pastor. The best vision and burning desire for every pastor is the vision for a large church. Why not have a large church if are going to have a church?

Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

Proverbs 29:18

You must desire to have a mega church because the desire for a mega church will lead you on a journey that will make your church grow. Having a desire for miracles will lead to the specific result of having miracles in your ministry. Having a desire for the anointing will lead to the specific result of having the anointing. The desire for church growth will lead you on a journey on a journey of discovery that will make your church grow.

Therefore I say unto you, what things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

Mark 11:24

You must have a mega church because the prophetic destiny of every church that the Lord builds is to have a greater end than the beginning. Do not be discouraged about the smallness of your church today. It has been predicted that the end of your ministry will be much more glorious than the beginning.

Because the word of God prophesies that the glory of the latter house shall be greater than the glory of the former, you must expect something more glorious than what you saw at the beginning. God will do something great and He will increase the congregation.

Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase.

Job 8:7

You must have a mega church because most pastors are deceived into thinking that the work is being done when it is not being done.

During the time of His ministry, Jesus made a very important statement.

…The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few...

Matthew 9:37

This means there are plenty of winnable souls. There is plenty of work for us all. There are plenty of people to fill our churches.

Many pastors are deceived by the fact that their little halls are full. Many ministers feel that they have “arrived” in ministry. You receive a nice salary and have a nice car. God has blessed you and all your expenses are paid for. This does not mean that you have “arrived”. Do not let the devil blind your eyes to the real work we have to do. It is Satan who fans the church to sleep!! He whispers to the hearts of many ministers: “Everything is O.K.” “This is it.” “You have made it.” “This is how far you can go.” “This is everything you can achieve for God!” Such ministers have had their spiritual and visionary eyes blinded by Satan. The enemy whispers to their heart, “Everything is okay. This is it! You have made it!”

Satan wants your church to remain small. The fewer people you have in your congregation the more captives he has. The size of your church shows you to what extent you are depopulating Hell. When you have a mega church, it means that you are establishing more souls. It also means that more souls have escaped from the clutches of the devil.

You must have a mega church because God’s will is that “His house may be filled.” Most churches are not filled because they are not mega churches.

And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, THAT MY HOUSE MAY BE FILLED.

Luke 14:23

In Luke 14, the Lord gave us an important revelation. The master said to his servant, “I need my house to be filled.” The master in this story represents Jesus. Jesus wanted His house to be filled. In other words, Jesus wants His churches to be filled. God wants full churches! The master in this story was not content with having just a few people at his party. He could have had the party anyway, but he wanted many more people. And more especially he wanted the house to be filled.

Through this story, God is showing His will for the church. His will is more people! His will is filled rooms! His will is overflowing churches! His will is the MEGACHURCH!

You must have a mega church because your harvest field is the world.

God did not send us to a suburb of your town. Neither did He send us to a few villages. He sent us to the whole world. If we had a small field to harvest from, then we could not expect a large quantity of harvested fruits.

And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

Mark 16:15-16

The fact that the entire world is to be reached implies that the harvest of souls that we will bring in must be very large. It will definitely be a major portion of the world’s population. If a major section of the world’s population is to be saved through the preaching of the gospel, then every church should be bursting at the seams for lack of space. Remember that there are over six billion souls out there waiting for us to reach them with the Gospel.

You must have a mega church because the biblical example of churches had thousands of members. Is the early church not the best example for us to follow? If the early church had three thousand and five thousand people, should these numbers not serve as a guiding post for us? Indeed, these numbers are recorded in the bible so that we may know what to aim for.

Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church--about three thousand in all. They joined with the other believers and devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, sharing in the Lord’s Supper and in prayer.

Acts 2:41-42 (NLT)

But many of the people who heard their message believed it, so that the number of believers totaled about five thousand men, not counting women and children.

Acts 4:4 (NLT)

You must have a mega church because having a large church means that more souls have been won to the kingdom. In a large church there will be more services, more altar calls and more opportunities to be saved than a small church. Is it not the aim of every minister of the gospel to win souls to the Lord? Is it not an extra added blessing that a mega church leads to the salvation of many people who join it?

You must have a mega church because in a mega church more workers and labourers are released to work for God.

He said to his disciples, “The harvest is so great, but the workers are so few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send out more workers for his fields

Matthew 9:37-38 (NLT)

There will always be a certain percentage of the flock who are real labourers. No matter what you do or say, a certain percentage of the church will not get involved in the real work of ministry. There will always be the spectators and observers. There will always be the commentators. The labourers will always be in the ministry. The larger the crowd you have, the more labourers will be sent forth. And the more easily you will be able to finance them.

You must have a mega church because through a mega church more ministers of the gospel, full time pastors and bishops are appointed and released into the harvest field. In a large church there is always a training programme that produces ministers. A ten thousand member congregation will therefore produce more pastors than a hundred member church. Indeed, the pastor of a smaller church is not likely to have enough people who want to be ministers of the gospel.

You must have a mega church because in a mega church more people are involved in prayer against the power of the prince of the air.

12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints

Ephesians 6:12-18

When you have a mega church, more prayer will go forth unto the Lord. Therefore, more people will be saved and established. When the Lord sent me to establish churches in Europe, He showed one key role that we were going to play in rebuilding His kingdom in that continent. You see, Europe has virtually become a continent of atheists. They have put God out of their minds. Many Europeans do not believe that God even exists.

Years ago, Europe sent out missionaries to the world. But now, they have fallen to the lowest state of demonic blindness and godlessness. The Lord showed me that one of our duties as a church was to release prayer into the atmosphere concerning the Church in Europe. Our presence in countries like Switzerland, The Netherlands and England, has resulted in much more intercession being made in those nations.

Our church in Geneva has all-night prayer meetings every Friday, praying from midnight until 6 a.m. They engage in spiritual warfare in a land where God is forgotten. As more churches like ours go into the nations, then more prayer will take place. This is one of the primary reasons why a large and branching church is important.

When the church I pastor, The Lighthouse Cathedral, grew to a certain size, we were able to successfully have all-night prayer meetings everyday. We had so many small groups within the church that it was possible to set up a rotation so that one of these groups could have an all-night prayer meeting everyday. Thus, we had a different group praying every night.

The larger the church, the more prayer groups are created. More prayer is possible in a mega church! That is why the devil wants the church to remain small!

You must have a mega church because a mega church generates large crowds and large crowds create great expectation.

And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not.

Luke 3:15

Through experience I have noticed that the larger the crowd, the greater the expectation. When there is a large gathering of God’s people, there is an air of excitement, expectation and real faith. Why is this? This happens because the faith of everyone is heightened by what they see.

The sight of a large crowd inspires faith and creates excitement. The combined faith of the crowd is greater than the faith of just one person. That helps to draw out the gift of God from the minister.

I have preached to small groups and to very large crowds. The spiritual atmosphere of these two situations is often different.

You must have a mega church because in a mega church you will have a greater manifestation of miracles because of the greater crowds and greater expectation.

Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed. And there was great joy in that city.

Acts 8:5-8

And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following.

Mark 16:20

Whenever there is great faith, you can expect more power and miracles of healing. Jesus often said, “Your faith has made you whole.” It is faith that generates the miraculous! I know some people will misunderstand me on this. I am not saying that God does not move in small congregations. I often minister in small congregations, and I see God moving in a wonderful way. God certainly does miracles in small churches. All I am saying is that, generally speaking, when there are more people, there is more faith, more expectation and therefore, more miracles. I think even the simplest Christian can understand this simple logic.

A bigger church means more people, which means more faith, which means more power, which means more miracles, which results in more testimonies!

Don’t you want more glory, power and anointing to flow in your congregation? Dear pastor friend, believe God for a bigger church. With a bigger church, many more blessings will flow from the throne of God to his people.

You must have a mega church because more evangelism is possible through a mega church.

And now the word of the Lord is ringing out from you to people everywhere, even beyond Greece, for wherever we go we find people telling us about your faith in God. We don’t need to tell them about it,

1 Thessalonians 1:8 (NLT)

One of the side effects of having a larger church is that more evangelism takes place. Our Cathedral is divided into about fifteen chapels. Under each chapel, there are several ministries and under each ministry several fellowships.

It is our policy that every ministry has at least one major outreach during each month. Since our church has many ministries, it is possible that fifty different outreaches by fifty different groups will be taking place at the same time at many different locations!

More soul winning has taken place simply because the church has grown larger. It is God’s will for your church to grow larger so that more souls will be won for the Lord.

You must have a mega church because a mega church has a larger and greater income that can be used for the work of God.

Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, and laid them down at the apostles’ feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.

Acts 4:34-35

Having more people also means having a higher church income. If a church has a good pastor, the money of the church will be used for the right things. Unfortunately, some pastors are more like vampires – they suck the blood of the church rather than pour their lives into the ministry.

A higher income means many more spiritual goals are achievable. Money is not an evil thing. Money is neutral! It is the love of money that is evil! Money is a weapon in the hand of man. If a good man has money he will use it to do good things. A good minister will use the income of a mega church to build the church and promote the gospel!

I had a dream that we would one day have trucks driving around the nation, holding crusades in every town and village. Once upon a time, that was just a dream. Now, with a larger church we have been able to purchase a truck and have begun crusading all across the nation. How was that possible? We had more people and therefore more money, and we could do more for God!

You must have a mega church because special ministries which take care of special needs will develop within a mega church.

It is important to desire to have a large church. Pastors must dream of having large congregations. A large church results in the multiplicity of many ministries. It results in the multiplication of several important activities in the church. For instance, it multiplies the ministry of music.

Initially, our church had only one choir. Now we have no less than six choirs in addition to numerous other singing groups. What does this mean? It means that a large church has resulted in vital multiplication. It is the will of God that more of His children sing for Him. The more singing groups we have, the more God is glorified. The number of choirs you have depends on the number of people in the church.

As the church grows, it becomes more diverse in its composition. This results in specialist ministries being developed. When you have a small church, there will usually be very few special ministries like a ministry to the poor, refugees, and to orphans. As the church becomes larger it is possible to get involved in some of these other areas. When a church is able to be involved in these special areas, many blessings are released! Look at the blessings that are available to churches that minister to the poor.

Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. The Lord will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies.

Psalm 41:1, 2

These are powerful blessings for those who are able to grow to the point where they minister to special needs. Often when a church is small, it does not have the capacity to reach out in these areas. Have a vision of building a megachurch. Other special areas of ministry will develop within it. You will have people with the ministry of giving being released. There are churches which have men and women with a heart for financing the gospel.

…he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity;

Romans 12:8

It is rare to come across church members who have the ability to make a difference in the church through their giving. Every pastor would love to have members who take care of major expenses for the church.

In the earlier stages of our church’s life, I had no one who could do things like that. But now, there are people who have the ability and the ministry of giving.

Other special areas that can develop are ministries to the poor and to the disabled. I have a dream to establish an orphanage. I’ve had this dream for a long time. But, it will take a large and strong church to be able to support such a venture. If you have a hundred orphans in your orphanage, you have to pay for three hundred meals a day. You also have to buy clothes for a hundred people. You then have to pay the hospital bills for a hundred children. After that you have to pay several professionals to care for these motherless and fatherless people. I think that you will agree with me that it will take a truly mega church to set up such a ministry.

You must have a mega church because it shows that you have made full proof of your ministry. Many ministers do not do a thorough job of being pastors! Many ministers only touch the surface of their calling! Many ministers are a phantom of what they could be! Most churches have the potential of growing larger. Often, the growth does not come because the pastor does not do a thorough job of pastoring the church. Every field of endeavour has greater or lesser dimensions. You must aim for the greatest possible dimension in pastoral work.

But you – keep your eye on what you are doing; accept the hard times along with the good; keep the Message alive; do a thorough job as God’s servant.

2 Timothy 4:5 (The Message)

You must have a mega church because in a mega church there are more “beloveds” (potential marriage partners).

For there was not a needy person among them, for all who were owners of land or houses would sell them and bring the proceeds of the sales

Acts 4:33-34 (NASB)

Years ago, when our church was much smaller, a young lady said to me, “My type of man is not in this church.” When I looked throughout my congregation, I realized that what she said was true. There was no suitable person for this woman to marry. Some years later she went ahead and married an unbeliever.

At another point another lady said, “There is no man who is old enough to marry me. So I’m going to a larger church where I can find a man to marry me.” You see, she was thirty-nine years old and there were no forty-year-old bachelors in the church. All of the bachelors we had in our church were in their twenties and thirties. In a mega church there are brides and grooms of all ages. In a mega church, even people over the age of seventy can become bridegrooms and brides.

You must have a mega church because in a mega church more marriages and more weddings take place.

People love to get marries in church. Marriages and weddings are a spicy blessing for every congregation. The congregation always loves to hear of the announcement of upcoming marriages. They get excited and hope and pray that it will be their turn soon. You will be blessed with more weddings when you have a mega church. A healthy growing church is one that has numerous marriages taking place. I always pray that there will be more weddings and marriages in my church.

You must have a mega church because there are more contacts and connections through the people in the mega church.

As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.”

Galatians 6:10

The larger the church the more contacts and “connections” can be made. Let’s face it, many things in this world depend on “who you know!” You may get a breakthrough just because you belong to a certain church. I have employers in my church to whom I can recommend potential employees. When our church was smaller, it was only full of students. Now, many people can find jobs through the church.

People like to stay in a place that has added blessings and security. The church members love these fringe benefits of making contacts and connections with others.

You must have a mega church because in a mega church there is always a large pool of employers who can help the church members. In a large church you will have more people who are substantial enough to provide jobs to help the congregation. In a mega church you will have the added benefit of being able to fight the scourge of unemployment in your congregation.

32 And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul; and not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own; but all things were common property to them.

33 And with great power the apostles were giving witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all.

34 For there was not a needy person among them, for all who were owners of land or houses would sell them and bring the proceeds of the sales

Acts 4:32-34 (NASB)

You must have a mega church because all the different needs of the congregation can be met through the mega church. A congregation is a group of people with varied needs. When I stand before large crowds asking them to lay hands where they have a need, everyone prays fervently because everyone has a need. If there are a thousand people, there are a thousand different needs. A mega church affords you the chance to meet many of these different needs. If there is a small church and someone needs a lawyer’s advice it is not likely that he will find one. But in a large church, you are likely to find a lawyer, a doctor, an engineer, a pharmacist or even a psychiatrist.

And all those who had believed were together, and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions, and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need.

Acts 2:44-45 (NASB)

You must have a mega church because a mega church is more likely to accomplish the 25% biblical quota of souls won from the community.

And when he sowed, some [25%] seeds fell by the way side… some [25%] fell upon stony places… some [25%] fell among thorns… But other [25%] fell into good ground and brought forth fruit…

Matthew 13:4-8

The Bible teaches us that the sower went out to sow the Word of God in a city. The result was that, one out of four (25%) of his seeds yielded good results. If we win only a quarter of our cities to Christ, I can assure you that there will be no more half-filled churches.

It is time for the Church to achieve its biblical quota of twenty- five percent of the population. How many people are there in your city?

There are about four million people in the city of Accra, Ghana. According to my little theory, at least twenty-five percent of them should have responded to the Word of God. This means that at least one million of these people should be safely established in the Church. However, I wonder how many people darken the doorways of church buildings in Accra every Sunday morning. Several thousands do, but I doubt whether it reaches our biblical quota of twenty-five percent of the population.

If the church of God attains the twenty-five percent goal, there will be many many large churches scattered all over the city. Every church will have multiple church services from morning to evening. Calculate it for yourself! You will see that the Church is no where near attaining that twenty-five percent goal. How many born again Christians attend church on a Sunday morning in your city? What is the population of your city?

Total citywide born again church attendance = 25% ??

Total population of your city

When I did this calculation for my own city, I realized that we were far from achieving the results of that “sower who went out to sow”. But I prophesy that churches shall be filled in the last days. The land shall be filled with megachurches. God wants big churches because He is expecting at least twenty-five percent of the population to respond positively to our preaching.

You must have a mega church because a mega church is a force to reckon with and it becomes a nation within a nation.

As the church increases in size it will become a powerful community. It virtually becomes a nation of its own. Governments begin to fear the power and influence of a mega church, but they despise small churches. Governments know that a large church means a lot of people, which means a lot of votes. The politicians fear the power of the masses. They know that popular opinion keeps them in power. They know that pastors are influencing people’s minds. Small things are easy to despise. The Bible says,

For who hath despised the day of small things?

Zechariah 4:10

Politicians can no longer despise the reality of the Kingdom of God when it is massive! They cannot attack the pastors in the churches when they know the number of people they lead.

Our church was once attacked and the walls around us broken. The people behind the attack thought that they could get away with it easily. They did not appreciate the magnitude, strength and scope of influence of the church they were attacking. The “people behind the scenes” were very surprised when the attack led to a nationwide crisis. Several churches and the general public rallied together against the perceived attackers. The politicians had to act quickly to prevent nationwide demonstrations and civil unrest.

As you read this book, I want you to believe God for a mega church. I want you to receive the anointing to rise out of smallness into the largeness that God has destined for you.

You must have a mega church because the glory of the end time church will be greater than the glory of the early church.

The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of hosts…

Haggai 2:9

The Bible predicts that the glory, which means beauty, of the latter day church, will far exceed the glory of the former one. I believe that we are in that latter day. When I consider what the Lord has done in Ghana over the last fifteen years, I realize that God is bringing a greater glory to His end-time Church. The largest churches some fifteen years ago would be the youth groups of some of the megachurches that God has raised up today!

Let me share with you a very important secret. God does not work with only one person. The Spirit of God does not move in only one church. If a pastor has been able to achieve great growth in your city, it is a clear sign that the grace of God is abundant for the work of church growth there.

People who think that God is only using one man are deceived!

The Lord ministered powerfully to Ahab the king through Elijah the Tishbite (1 Kings 17, 18, 21). But there was another powerful prophet called Micaiah who was used to rebuke Ahab the king. God does not limit Himself to one man.

Elijah made the mistake of thinking he was the only one who was faithful to God.

And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left…

1 Kings 19:14

But the Lord showed him that He had seven thousand other faithful prophets.

Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.

1 Kings 19:18

Many big churches are springing up. God is raising up men and women of integrity to pastor His people. Flow in it. Catch the spirit! You will also walk in the glory of the latter church. Learn the strategies of church growth. Obtain the power and the wisdom of God. Walk in love towards the brethren. Love even those who slander and betray you. Every great work of the Holy Spirit is as a result of love, unity and teamwork.

I really want to emphasize and stress this great truth that God does not work with one isolated person. Did you know that when Ezekiel was prophesying between 622-600 B.C., Daniel the prophet was also raised up and prophesied between 616-536 B.C.

It was a time when God was moving through great prophets – people who yielded themselves to the call were used greatly in the ministry. Interestingly enough, Jeremiah also ministered between 685-616 B.C. You will notice that the time periods often overlap. This is because the Spirit of God does great works with many people at the same time.

Isaiah (792-722 B.C.), Nahum (786-757 B.C.) and Micah (772-722 B.C.) were raised up in the ministry around the same period of time. You must buy into the move of God when the season comes. Zechariah and Malachi both prophesied about the end-times. Their ministries, interestingly enough, spanned the same period of time 557-525 B.C.

What am I trying to say? I am showing you that God is using many people to do the same thing in a particular season. He is building megachurches now! Jump on the train and become the pastor that God wants you to be. Did you know that God moved in a spirit of reform during the sixteenth century? Did you know that He did not only work through Martin Luther in Germany?

At the time the spirit of reform was flowing through the ministry of Martin Luther, the spirit of reform was also flowing through a man called Zwingli in Switzerland. If Martin Luther had thought he was the only anointed reformist he would have been making a big mistake! God moves in waves! There is a wave of church growth right now. There is a wave of massive harvesting of souls! Get in on this move of God! Allow God to use you to build a mega church!

Be open to learn new things that you do not know. A common statement in my church is, “You don’t know everything! You and I are learning. Everyday of our lives should be a living classroom. Everyone you meet can teach you something!”

As we study the subject of church growth through the power and wisdom of God, decide that you can do it. Do not let the failures of yesteryear keep you down. Be a “Can-do man”. Rise up in your spirit and say, “We are able to possess the land. We can do it!”

…Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.

Numbers 13:30

When you say, “I can,” the Holy Spirit will rise up to perform that which He has called you to do. Remember, you did not call yourself. Faithful is He that called you and He will do it. You are the believer and God is the doer.

I remember when our church had only one member that owned a car – me! I prayed that we would have more people in our church with cars. I confessed and believed that we had ten people in our church who owned cars. After some time, I received what I believed God for. Believe that the God who called you, will do it.

Faithful is he that CALLETH you, who also will DO it.

1 Thessalonians 5:24

I recall walking up and down the streets adjacent to the canteen we had rented for our church services. I spoke to the street and said, “Be filled with cars.” I spoke to the empty benches and said, “Be filled with members.” Today there are countless numbers of cars and members in our church.

Reasons Why You Must Have a Mega church

Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase.

Job 8:7

Should our churches be big or small? Many people feel happy in a small church. They often say it is cozier and more like a family. “We get to know each other and have better relationships,” they say. These statements are true. But let us ask ourselves a question.

Do we want to do what is cozy or do we want to do the will of God? God has shown us His will in His Word. Your starting may be small but God is expecting your latter end to be greatly increased. If it is not explicit in Scripture, it is implicit.

by Dag Heward-Mills

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garywonghc · 8 years ago

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Gods, Demons, Sages, and Enlightened Kings

by Robin Kornman

We call it Tibetan Buddhism, but it’s really much more. Robin Kornman sees Tibet as the last of the Silk Route cultures, where the great religions of Asia unite in a magical world of Gods, Demons, Sages, and Enlightened Kings.

What could be more different from modern North American culture than the magical cosmology of the Central Asian Silk Route? Yet in the United States and Canada the sacred world view of ancient Tibet has established its most promising foothold.

Buddhism is famous for its rationality and profound, somewhat abstract contemplative practices. But the modern-day practitioner of Tibetan religion finds there are also chants to protective deities-fabulous many-armed beings who inhabit the world of Central Asian mythology.

There are seasonal religious practices which connect the disciple in a peculiarly Asian fashion with the principles of earth and sky.

There are shamanistic divination practices to lead the faithful and help them make difficult decisions, using mirrors or dice, or an arrow hung with pennants, or a rosary made of polished bone.

These are not just rationalized Buddhism such as one reads about in school. These are the spiritual practices of the exotic civilizations that rose up along the Silk Route, civilizations that combined the religious and magical practices of Central Asia with the philosophical profundities of India and China.

Tibet began its history as one such civilization, a Silk Route empire that extended from Central Asia deep into T’ang China. The Tibetan empire fell but what remained as the country of Tibet, because of its size and tremendous prestige as a Buddhist kingdom, succeeded ultimately in conveying the medieval culture of the Silk Route into the modern period.

The Silk Route started in the Roman Empire, crossed the Middle East, and entered the plains of Central Asia. The journey ended in Cathay (as Marco Polo called China) and all along the way, kingdoms and republics were enriched by the flow of trade goods East and West—the wealth of Europe exchanged for the silk and spices of China.

But the Silk Route withered away as Europeans learned to trade by sea, and the empires that depended on it vanished in the sands. All but Tibet. It remained, the only large-scale example of Central Asian Silk Route civilization to survive into the 20th century.

Tibet’s survival into modern times is remarkable. But even more remarkable is the sudden transplantation of key elements of Tibetan culture into North America in the last thirty years. Its religions have taken root here and strangely flourish. Now there are communities of westerners infused with the Tibetan world view—North Americans and Europeans living on a daily basis with the cosmologies and pantheons of invisible creatures which constitute Tibetan mythology.

The western disciple of Tibetan religion studies the lives of the Buddhist saints. These lives are callednamthar, “examples of liberation.” But the examples are not at all like the lives of Catholic saints. They are written in a Central Asian mode, and as the western disciple reads on, he or she is alternately amazed, horrified, moved, disturbed, and even disgusted.

For it turns out that the Buddhist lineage holders of the past, the Tibetan saints, were not simply examples of meditative discipline and self-control. They were also sorcerers accomplishing supernatural feats worthy of a Merlin. They were shamans who traveled in spirit realms, hobnobbing with demons and mountain deities and a strange pantheon of silk-clad immortals riding on purple clouds. And they were bards extemporizing picturesque songs and religious sermons in verse, for Tibetan mythology is communicated principally through popular songs.

The mosaic of Tibetan mythology combines gods and legends from cultures across Asia. The principle ones, however, are Indian, Chinese, and Himalayan. Let’s look at a few pieces of the puzzle.

The Indian Sources

The central element in Tibetan mythology is the Buddha himself. In principle the Buddha was a man who, through meditation practice and following a holy life, gained the ultimate wisdom of enlightenment.

So, for example, westerners who study Buddhism in universities think of the Buddha as a wise and peaceful man—a great teacher, living a life in human perspective. This, however, is not the way he was seen on the Silk Route.

In Central Asia and the Far East, the Buddha is a figure of cosmic proportions. He has not only wisdom, but power, and not just power, but greatness of substance. He pervades the universe and operates on a cosmic scale. His body can appear in a glorified form, radiating blinding splendor, filling the universe with his rays, and exhibiting countless qualities and virtues “numerous as the grains of sand in the Ganges.”

This is the Buddha of the Mahayana, the “Greater Vehicle.” He exists on a vast scale. The span of his life is measureless. His teaching sessions last hundreds of years and occur in fabulous locations in spiritual realms. The historical Buddha supposedly died. But this is not true in the Mahayana. As is said in theLotus Sutra, his death was more or less staged to give a teaching on impermanence and to make his human disciples more appreciative of his gifts. Actually, he lives on in an inconceivable way and continues to benefit his disciples throughout the ages.

Indian Buddhist mythology is vaster in its vision than western mythological systems. For example, there are cosmic Buddhas inhabiting inconceivable world- systems. Shakyamuni, the sage who gained enlightenment in the 6th century BC, is just a recent and local Buddha. He has colleagues across the universe.

Indian scriptures name many of them, and around some of these other Buddhas, special traditions of worship and meditation practice have developed. There is, for example, Mahavairochana, who is like the sun and encompasses the entire phenomenal world. The huge Flower Garland Sutra is particularly devoted to him.

But the most famous and revered cosmic Buddha is Amitabha, the red colored Buddha of Compassion. Amitabha has created a special world or “pure land” for his disciples. It is called Sukhavati, the Happy Place. People who pray to Amitabha can be reborn there and live in happiness until they are ready to reincarnate. In this way, even people without education or discipline can avoid the agonies of continual

rebirth in the lower realms. They live there in Amitabha’s heaven for aeons, peacefully studying dharma under his protection.

Actually, Amitabha has numerous emanations in Tibet, some wrathful, some peaceful, some martial in style. One of these is the cosmic yogin named Padmasambhava. He is associated with Amitabha in much of the iconography, and the two together combined to produce the famous epic warrior of Tibet, Gesar of Ling.

In the Mahayana, the Buddha is then accompanied by a retinue of divine beings dressed in royal clothes—the bodhisattvas, the “heroes of enlightenment.” These are people who have vowed to lengthen their path beyond human proportions of time.

They pledge to continue their journey for thousands of years longer than would be necessary for the accomplishment of their own benefit. Even though they could enter nirvana, they remain in the world so that they can aide sentient beings and become themselves, after aeons of work, full-fledged Buddhas. Then they will possess the signs and powers of a Buddha and his vast, glorified body.

But even now, at the mid-point of their long path, they are divine beings. In India and Central Asia, certain of the bodhisattvas were particularly popular and had their own special sects. In Tibet and China three of these stood out: Manjushri, the bodhisattva of wisdom; Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva of compassion, and Vajrapani, the embodiment of enlightened wrathful power.

Manjushri is represented as a peaceful king. His skin is milky white. He holds the sword of wisdom in his right hand, raised to strike, always prepared to cut through self-deception. He rides a white lion with a lovely turquoise mane. Although Manjushri operates throughout the cosmos, he has a special abode on earth on the Chinese mountain of Wutai, the Five Peaked Mountain, which is a pilgrimage place for Tibetans and Chinese alike.

Avalokiteshvara also has his abode in China, on Omei Shan. Like Wutai, Omei is a magical place. There are temples, ancient and modern, all over the mountain, and on the lovely terraces even non-believing Chinese tourists still see magical visions of the bodhisattva.

This bodhisattva of compassion is worshipped everywhere but especially in Tibet, where he is regarded as the patron of the country, almost its creator. In Tibetan his name is Chenrezig and his mantra Om Mani Padme Hum is repeated on all occasions—as a prayer, as a pious ejaculation, and again and again as an object of meditative concentration. Chenrezig is an emanation of Amitabha and the two are associated in the Pure Land Sects. Padmasambhava, Gesar and Chenrezig are all in a sense emanations of Amitabha and they share in common his tantric insignia, the symbol of the Lotus Family.

Some people compare the bodhisattvas to Catholic saints, because the Tibetans pray to them as if to ask for their mediation and intercession. But the Tibetan cosmic bodhisattvas are grander than Christian saints. They are kingly, magical beings, who themselves can produce emanations to go about the globe doing their work. For example, Manjushri, the bodhisattva of wisdom, is said to have created the land of Nepal by magically parting mountains and opening a passage for people into the paradisiacal valley of Kathmandu.

Below the bodhisattvas is a third order of Buddhist deities who come to Tibet from the Indian Buddhist pantheon. These are actually the Hindu gods: Indra, the Vedic god of war; Brahma, the creator god; Agni, the god of fire; Ganesha, the elephant-headed lord of hosts. These deities were originally part of the brahmanical pantheon of Hinduism, but according to the Buddhists, they were converted by the Buddha into servants of his teachings and now piously attend the gatherings where he preaches, taking a seat just below the bodhisattvas.

The Hindu deities converted in different ways. Some, like Brahma and Indra, were adherents of the Buddha even before he gained enlightenment, for he conducted a sort of primordial seminary in the Tushita Heaven and lectured there to the gods and bodhisattvas. They became part of a divine conspiracy to make sure that one being actually achieved the highest knowledge.

Other Hindu gods, for example Shiva, were actually defeated and transformed by the Buddha or one of his disciples.

by the Buddha or one of his disciples. In the Hindu religion that western academics call Shaivism, Shiva is the symbol for the ultimate self, the atman. Since the Hindus believe that this is the highest principle of truth, they worship Shiva above all other gods.

But to the Tibetan Buddhists, who strive to eliminate one’s belief in a self, Shiva is a symbol for egohood and must be killed. So they evoke him under the name of one of his wrathful manifestations, as Rudra, the “red one.” Rudra is a mighty god and ultimate being in Hinduism, but in Tibetan Buddhism he is an egomaniac who must be destroyed.

On the other hand, there are also stories of Shiva’s conversion to the Buddhadharma. In this case, it is Vajrasattva, the quintessential tantric Buddha, who tames and converts Shiva. The saga of the transformation of the Hindu god of self into a Buddhist deity continues for many episodes—a series of lapses by Shiva and enforced reconversions—until finally he becomes a permanent member of the Buddhist tantric pantheon.

The most interesting conversion of a Hindu god is that of Brahma, the creator. In Hinduism, Brahma is not worshipped very much at all. At the beginning of this world cycle he created the universe; after that his work was done. Eventually Shiva will destroy the universe again, a new cosmic cycle will begin, and there will again be work for Brahma to do. This is the attitude of many Hindus and, whether it is true or not, they often say that there is only one temple dedicated to Brahma in all of India.

But in Tibet he is a popular and beloved secondary deity. He is white, has many arms, and heads facing in the four directions—the perfect maker-god. In the local religions of Tibet, white is usually the color of the good gods, while black is the color of evil devils or maras. The cult of Brahma has in some cases united with the cult of local deities, and there are, for example, mountain gods who wear the headdress and hold the attributes of Brahma.

Buddhists do not believe that Brahma is literally responsible for fashioning the world. Rather, according to Buddhist pandits, when the physical world is reestablished after the end of a cosmic cycle, gods at the level of Brahma are the first to be reborn.

Seeing an empty universe into which other creatures are beginning to be reborn, such a deity says to himself, “I made all this.”

It is a logical mistake, the kind that beings with less than perfect omniscience might make. From it develops the very reasonable Understanding that Brahma, who makes many things, made the world. This explanation of how the Hindus came to believe in Brahma is part of the Buddhist science of cosmology. It can be found in the world of analytical texts called abhidharma and in the amazing Brahmalajala Sutra.

Although Buddhist scholasticism denies Brahma the dignity of being creator of the universe, they do acknowledge him as a daily creative principle. Creation is going on constantly; things are constantly arising and constantly passing out of existence. In that sense the principle of Brahma is constantly at work, and Brahma, who was a great friend to the Buddha, deserves Buddhists’ respect.

Agni is another Hindu deity important to the Tibetans, who worship him in almost exactly the same fashion as the Indians do. Agni is a remarkable example of continuity in the cosmological systems and religions of Asia.

The story of Agni begins with the most ancient of Asian religions, the Indian Vedas. In our earliest records of Vedic religion, fire is regarded as a messenger who conveys gifts of burnt offerings to the gods in heaven. He pervades space as the potential for flame and becomes suddenly manifest when a spark touches fuel. Diffuse fire is then gathered in one spot and bound there as a flame. When the flame is blown out, the fire is “unbound” and rediffuses throughout space, returning to its original unmanifest condition. This is actually one meaning of the word “nirvana”—to unbind.

One of the central ceremonies of Vedic religion is the Agni Puja, the fire sacrifice. In that ceremony fire is addressed as a god, and vast offerings are burnt in the flame which is a manifest part of his vast body. The offerings made to Agni are delivered then by the messenger to all the other gods. They are satisfied and in return bless the patron who ordered the ceremony. As a result of performing the fire puja, the patron receives vast gifts of power and good fortune.

This fire ceremony is performed by nearly every sect of Mahayana Buddhism, from Japanese Zen to Tibetan tantra, and Buddhists do not attempt to hide its Hindu origins. Rather, they are proud that it reflects the vastness and inclusiveness of their cosmology. It asserts the fundamental continuity beyond sectarianism—the continuity which is seen by the eye of the Buddha.

Native Tibetan Mythology

The deities we have just described form the highest levels of the divine world of Tibetan mythology. Below them is another order of deities who are native Tibetan artifacts—the gods and creatures who inhabited the Land of Snow before the coming of Buddhism.

They too form a vast hierarchy.

At the top are the actual proprietors of the land, the bdag po, the “lords.” These are mainly mountain gods such as Magyal Pomra, the nyen or mountain god of the Amnye Machen Range. Nyenchen Thanglha, who rules over another vast range of mountains, is his equal.

These beings were converted to Buddhism by Padmasambhava, the great tantric Buddhist magician from Central Asia. Since their conversion somewhere around the eighth century AD, they have practiced meditation and accumulated merit. Many of them are now advanced bodhisattvas dwelling in a state near enlightenment, but even though they are now like great bodhisattvas at the tenth stage, they still maintain their native wrathful forms when appearing in the human realm. They are accompanied by retinues of spectral, armed horsemen and their courts in their vast palaces are still filled with native Tibetan demons and divine peers.

At one time the nyen ruled Tibet on their own. But when Padmasambhava brought Buddhism to that land they fell under his sway, and now they serve his vast and inscrutable political agenda. Magyal Pomra, for example, served Padmasambhava in his project to create the human superhero Gesar. In the 19th century another nyen, Nyenchen Thanglha, gave up one of his consorts, the fabulous Flesh-Eating Dakini, so that she could incarnate as a human woman and give birth to one of the incarnations of Khyentse Rinpoche.

So who is this Padmasambhava that he can command earth lords and and spirits as ministers? His name means “the Lotus Born,” and he is regarded as a sort of second Buddha. He has no mother or father but was born from a gigantic lotus in the middle of a lovely lake. He is a spontaneous incarnation of enlightened energy, a sort of Buddhist Christ, but unlike Christ, he is extremely playful and destructive. Some deities he tames, others he simply destroys.

When Padmasambhava came to Tibet he joined with the founding king of the Tibetan empire, Trisong Detsen, to create a Buddhist state. Ever since then his plan has continued to unfold as the Tibetan king, his Buddhist teachers, and Padmasambhava’s disciples reincarnate again and again in Tibet to continue the education of the peoples of Asia.

In the vast Tibetan view of history, Padmasambhava’s plans take thousands of years to be achieved. Currently he lives in his “Palace of Limitless Light” on the glorious Copper-Colored Mountain, in another world called “the southern island continent of Camara.” There he rules over a race of cannibal demons and man-destroying monsters. The cannibal demons would wage war against humans in our own neighboring world, which is called Jambudvipa, the “Rose Apple Land,” but Padmasambhava keeps them in check by serving as their harsh and powerful king, Lotus Skullgarland Power (Padma Thotreng Tsai). Meanwhile, his original Tibetan disciples reincarnate repeatedly in Tibet to continue his teachings, and periodically he himself produces emanations to help sentient beings like us who live in the dark ages when there is no Buddha.

Padmasambhava is the essence of Tibetan Buddhism. He is as enlightened as a Buddha, but appears in forms that are not usually associated with the Buddha: as a sorcerer, as a Central Asian king, as a lovely child sitting in the middle of a crystal lake, as a wrathful shaman who destroys the demons of materialistic civilization. Above all he is a guru, but not a gentle, ascetic holy man, the sort of guru we expect from Indian Buddhism.

Rather he is the Tibetan tantric guru, carrying the visionary mirror and demon-fighting weapons of a North Asian shaman.

Now the cult of Padmasambhava has spread to North America and westerners invoke him with the same fervor as the Tibetans. This too was prophesied in the literature of Padmasambhava—that his religion would leave Tibet when “the iron bird flies to the West.” It may be that one of his emanations will appear in the West. But the most famous one is still the Tibetan warrior hero Gesar of Ling.

Gesar

Gesar is the magical warrior who came to Tibet when it was under attack from the demonic kings of the North, South, East and West. In Gesar’s legend all the strands of Tibetan cosmology come together.

in the immense epic of Gesar of Ling, Amitabha joins with Padmasambhava and Chenrezig (Avalokiteshvara) to emanate Gesar. Gesar begins as a god who lives in the mystical Hindu “Heaven of the Thirty-three.” At a certain point Amitabha sends forth the bodhisattva Chenrezig. Chenrezig dissolves into the body of Padmasambhava who then sends out green rays of light into the Heaven of the Thirty-three. There dwell certain local Tibetan deities, epic characters who represent the warrior energies of the Snowy Land. Two of these receive the green rays and transform into male and female buddhas. They unite in divine union and the product of this offspring is a sage- deity named Joyful to Hear.

This strange being—the combination of local Tibetan deities, an Indie Buddha, and a Central Asian magician— descends to the earthly plane and incarnates as Gesar of Ling. This process of emanation is rather complex, but perfectly typical of Tibetan thought, which constantly sees human heroes as projections of the energy of enlightened gods. When an apparently ordinary human being has divine achievements, it is usually a sign that a person has become attuned to a certain energy and is now an extension of that divine principle. As a result, the Tibetan spiritual practitioner sees the theater of human activity as full of divine resonances and echoes of transworldly spirituality.

Gesar’s mother is not a human, but a nagini, a lady dragon or lu, as the Tibetans call them. This is a race of magical beings typical of Himalayan mythology. The lu are the gods of all bodies of water and every form of moisture. In the winter they hide beneath the earth; in the spring they rise invisibly as mist and collect in the heavens as clouds. Then they descend to the earth as rain and begin the cycle again.

The lu are shape-shifters and can take any form. They can appear as human beings or giant serpents or tiny worms the size of hairs. They exist in Indian mythology as the nagas of Hindu epic, but in the Himalayas they have a special meaning, which comes in part from the Chinese notion of the imperial dragon, and they are tied up with a type of cosmic ecology. If a person pollutes a stream or disturbs the flow of energies in a spot of natural power, the lu will become angry and inflict the person with a lu disease such as leprosy or leukemia.

The lu are powerful, alien, and have their own realm beneath the seas, but they conduct constant relations with the human realm and are frequently receiving offerings of appeasement and pacification.

Once I lived in a village at the outskirts of Kathmandu. A friend of mine had a lovely cottage in a green glade, and next to her cottage was an ancient circular well made of large, lichen-covered, carefully wrought stones.

The well had a naga, a lu, living in it. At one point my friend began to have bad dreams and feel uncomfortable in her home. A musty smell and a clammy feeling seemed to pervade the place. She consulted a Tibetan lama who promptly declared that the lu of the well had been disturbed.

On his advice she found another old lama who was an expert in the ceremonies of naga appeasement, and under his direction she began to collect the wonderfully colorful and complicated offerings of a native Tibetan serpent pacification ceremony.

A whole team of monks arrived from a local monastery and began a sort of treasure hunt for the rare substances that would be needed for the offering. For example, milk from goats with special colorings had to be collected—the nagas love sweet, pure milk and fine fragrances. Delicious herbs were gathered and the preparations for the ceremony became a kind of holiday party lasting several days.

Finally, the intricate ceremony was performed and the many substances were dedicated to the serpent in the well. To properly realign the place they also performed the famous Tibetan smoke offering called a lha bsang, or “divine cleansing.” Juniper was burned and the column of smoke united heaven and earth, bringing down blessings and conveying offerings.

After the ceremony everybody decided that the nagas had been reconciled to the human habitation near their well and the clammy, sickly feeling of the place went away.

This kind of practice is highlighted in the Gesar epic. Gesar is an enlightened Buddhist hero, but he is also a master of local Tibetan shamanistic practice. He can fly on his horse and journey to mystical realms. He can see the invisible worlds of the mountain gods, the nagas, and the wargods of Tibet, and he commands all these beings to aid him in his war against the anti-Buddhist demons of the great Asian empires.

Gesar fights, tames and converts all of Asia, and his warfare reflects indigenous Tibetan religion in a most colorful way. There is an emphasis on cleverness and a sly ability to manipulate the natural energies of the world through magic and trickery.

When Gesar wants to conquer a certain king, he spirit- journeys into the dreams of the king and appears there as the monarch’s tribal deity and totem. In this dream-disguise Gesar sings a song which gives bad advice to the king, telling him that the warriors of Ling are cowards, that they will never attack his country, and he need not prepare to repel them. In this way the leader’s faith in the gods of his own family is turned against him and he is deceived into a false sense of security.

The weakening of an enemy’s strength is an important feature of Tibetan legend. Every great man has an aura of power that surrounds his body, and he has power spots on his body—on his head and shoulders, and at his heart. If the warrior has great charisma, the wargods of Tibet are attracted to his body and take up residence on these power spots. When he is fully vested with wargods, he is invincible. On the field of battle arrows shot at him will miss. If you aim at him, his body suddenly becomes tiny in your sights. But if he comes down on you, sword drawn, he seems huge and overwhelming. All this is the result of his field of power, his charisma.

To win Gesar must strip the enemy warrior of this matrix of power. He must drive off his enemy’s wargods and drain his aura. This is done in gradual stages by stealing his dignity, polluting the sacred spots of his clan, and undermining in the tribal polity the foundations of his confidence. Finally, when the war energy of the fighter has been drained away, he is weakened and feels a sense of doom. His habitual upliftedness is gone and he cannot retrieve it, no matter how hard he tries. His defeat is inevitable; it has already occurred in the psychic realm. The physical realm will soon follow.

But there are also rituals designed to restore lost charisma and re-establish a proper matrix of power around the individual. Interestingly, the same sort of thing occurs in the Homeric epics. In the Iliad and the Odyssey, Homer describes the Greek gods suddenly blessing a particular hero so that his body seems to glow with health and power, his shoulders seem huge, and he appears tall, fair and imposing. The effect must be universal, for the Tibetans describe it in exactly the same way. One lama actually called this phenomenon of a blessed appearance “good head and shoulders.”

Dealing with Local Deities

The Gesar epic is sung by bards who travel Tibet reciting from heart vast portions of the epic. These bards are not simply poets and rhapsodists; they are also in a sense priests of the native religion. They function as mediums who connect the ordinary world with the supernatural, and they believe that the court of Gesar in some way still exists: his famous generals, his consorts, his ministers, his magical horse, his divine mother.

Invoking these beings, they bring down the energy of Gesar and draw into time his wisdom and power. These principles of energy can be used to deal with very practical problems involving the local forces of nature and the local gods.

The concept of “local deities” may be unfamiliar to the western reader. Buddhist cosmology talks about a class of supernatural being called lokapala (local protector) or lokadeva (local deity or protector of the place). These are gods who are not in the general pantheon of Indian Buddhism except as a category. Their specifics change from country to country, perhaps even from village to village.

In the Buddhist ceremonies translated from Sanskrit, certain specific gods are mentioned in this class. For example, Ganeshvara, the elephant-headed baby who is a central figure in the Hindu pantheon, is regarded by Buddhists as a local deity. Perhaps in this case, the word “local” is misleading and it might be better to translate loka not as “place,” but as “worldly.” This would distinguish, for example, Ganeshvara, a worldly deity, from Amitabha or Vajrayogini, who are enlightened principles—almost (but not quite) abstractions—and therefore “beyond the world” (lokottara).

Ganeshvara literally means “lord of hosts.” He appears in native Tibetan ceremonies along with Brahma and numerous other Hindu deities and is associated with the various Central Asian gods, demons, and monsters mentioned in the many ceremonies common to both Buddhists and non-Buddhists in Tibet. Sometimes he is called “Ganapati,” which also means “lord of hosts.” Then he is depicted leading armies of Tibetan wargods.

Most of the deities in the local pantheon do not look very Indian. They wear Tibetan clothes, often armor and Mongolian boots. They carry the artifacts of the native religion: mirrors, lassos, spears, snares, magic knots and cross-thread demon-catchers, arrows for long life, dice for divination. Their forms are grotesque and horrific in a Central Asian style. Some are the embodiment of imposing sites: rivers, mountains, and plains. Others are diseases harmful to man and have poisonous breath, or a deadly stare, or a fatal touch. Others again are in the form of animals native to Tibet such as the yak.

The Taoist Element

Some of the lore that I have described did not originate either in India or Tibet, but probably in China. For example, the concept of a warrior’s charisma has a very Chinese sound to it and is associated with another doctrine which undoubtedly existed much earlier in the south of China: the notion of the windhorse.

Throughout Tibet people fly so-called prayer flags: square banners inscribed with mantras and magical emblems. The most popular form of prayer flag has a picture of a horse with a burning jewel in its saddle. Around the horse are mantras invoking in order all the Buddhist and non-Buddhist deities of Tibet, who are asked to bring down their energy and enliven the people.

This figure of a magical horse originated in China where it was called the lung ma, the “dragon horse,” or perhaps you could say, “imperial horse.” The lung ma is a figure from ancient Taoist alchemy. It is found in a 2nd or 4th century collection of magical lore called the Pao P’u Tsu (The Master Who Embraces Virtue). The wind- horse may have existed even earlier than Taoism, actually, and some western scholars speculate that it could have come from the same tradition which gave birth to Siberian shamanism, for the Chinese windhorse has antlers and looks very much like the Siberian emblems.

Chinese Taoism believes that human beings are compounded of several souls.

One is of the nature of air, which separates and rises at a person’s death. Another is related to the earth and sinks at the time of death.

Native Tibetan lore also believes in many souls, if I may use that misleading western term. One is called the bla (pronounced “la”). It is a principle of life and dwells in the body. I heard once, for example, of a Tibetan grandmother who was steeped in traditional lore. One day when she was very old she said that it must be her time to die, for her bla had left her. A few days later, she died peaceably of, as they say, “natural causes.”

Bla is sometimes pronounced “lha.” Bla originally meant “above” and is now used interchangedly with lha to refer to the higher gods. Lha is used in the term dralha, the armored Central Asian energy principles we translate as “wargods.” There is a dralha said to live on the body which is connected with a person’s courage. There is also a pattern of energies called the srog, or life force. When it is harmed, a person becomes weak and depressed; Tibetan doctors often treat depression as a blockage in one’s heart srog.

In some systems of native Tibetan teachings, these patterns of energy are ordered on the body in a sort of hierarchy. This hierarchy matches the cosmic order of precedence in which Buddhist and Bon (a Tibetan non-Buddhist religion) lamas organize all the local gods of Tibet. It places the lha on top, the nyen, or mountain gods, in the middle, and the la, or serpent gods, on the bottom.

This ordering is observed in thousands of Tibetan chants done on national holidays and at seasonal celebrations, and it also matches the Chinese ordering of the universe into heaven, earth and man. With smoke offerings and the waving of colorful banners, these special ceremonies and chants invoke and command local deities, astrological deities, calendar deities, gods of the elements, the windhorse, and all the other energy principles.

The Chinese and Tibetan ceremonies of this kind are so similar that 1 cannot help but think that they come from a common tradition. The Chinese Emperor K’ang Hsi actually sought to formalize this relationship. He once ordered the publishing of a Mongolian edition of the Gesar epic and identified the edition with the classic Chinese war novel, Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

One of the heroes of this novel is a Chinese sage general named Sleeping Dragon. Sleeping Dragon performs a Chinese version of the Tibetan smoke offering ceremonies. His rituals are based on the Chinese concept of windhorse and the four heraldic figures: Tiger, Warrior, Great Red Bird, Dragon. These emblems are connected with the four directions, the elements, and every aspect of Taoist alchemical lore. They are also a dominant image in Tibetan mythology, where they are called Tiger, Lion, Garuda and Dragon.

The Snow Lion is a native Tibetan image, and the word in Tibetan which is translated as “Garuda,” the Indie king of the birds, is actually khyung, a Tibetan mythical bird like the phoenix. The traditions of China, Tibet and India become utterly tangled in this imagery and it becomes impossible to say what is native Tibetan and what is of foreign origins.

Perhaps the most accurate view is that Central Asian mythical lore is internationalist. It arises from the culture of the Silk Route and combines into one civilization everything the merchants encountered as they journeyed in their caravans from West to East.

Now—In the West

Westerners who enter the world of Tibetan Buddhist meditation practice enter a world of subtle psychological and metaphysical teachings. They also enter a world of complicated ceremonies and liturgies directed towards the colorful and incredibly diverse pantheon of Central Asian gods. In fact, the pantheon of Tibetan tantra surpasses tantra itself, going far beyond the deities of Indian Buddhism.

At first the student sees no order or reason. Each chant is to another many armed god. Some are from China, some are native Tibetan personages, some are from the mythical Kingdom of Shambhala, some are from India, and some are from vanished countries that once existed along the Silk Route.

Gradually, however, the underlying logic is made known. The student sees that the gods fit together in a grand synthesis that transcends the accidents of culture and history and describes the world beyond appearance. It turns out that the deities are more than a system of literary references and more than just a collection of multi-cultural beliefs. When brought together with the proper explanations from the Tibetan science of cosmology, the myths of Tibet form a tantric map of reality.

This is the true meaning of iconography in this ancient system, and the philosophical theory is actually very simple: There are two kinds of beings in the world, ordinary people and beings with genuine vision.

Ordinary people, blinded by their passions and habitual patterns of thought, see a world of objects and political situations. They see the so-called material world and fail to perceive the subtler world of patterns and resonances, which is the true reality.

Meditators, on the other hand, cleanse their vision of the material patterns of seeing, which are based on grasping and fixation, and begin to see the real world of living continuities. They see the subtle energies which run through the body’s channels—the ch’i, the world of charisma, windhorse, life power. They see the continuity which runs through the earth, represented as gods of mountain, sea and plain. They see the underlying reality of cultural vision as national and tribal gods, and the deities of the domestic world—the gods of hearth and home and hunt who show the continuity between nature and civilization. They see the continuity of man’s inner nature and politics as the gods of king- ship, of national sovereignty, of pacification and war.

All of these energies can be understood and dealt with by a tantrika who has given up grasping and fixation. The texts which describe this world use the language of iconography. Each god is a symbolic representation of a pattern of energy, and they form societies of gods, or mandalas, which are tantric maps of regions of activity in the phenomenal world. Seeing these patterns of energies directly is the secret of the tantric yogin’s skillful means. It is what Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche in his famous seminar on “The Feminine Principle” called “the symbolic aspect of life.”

Apparently the experience of seeing the invisible world changes from one adept to another. For some, the energies are perceived with naked intuition as a subtle sense of the order of things in any given situation. For others, the language of traditional iconography has so structured their perceptual systems that they actually see the energies clothed in the forms of gods. The uses of Tibetan iconography are as diverse as the propensities of the students, and all are manifestations of a great tradition planted three decades ago and now thriving—the western synthesis of Tibetan mythology.

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pope-francis-quotes · 6 years ago

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‏26th September >> (@romereports) #PopeFrancis #Pope Francis: Message of His Holiness Pope Francis to the Catholics of China and to the Universal Church.

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I now turn with respect to the leaders of the People’s Republic of China and renew my invitation to continue, with trust, courage and farsightedness, the dialogue begun some time ago. I wish to assure them that the Holy See will continue to work sincerely for the growth of genuine friendship with the Chinese people. ***

“Eternal is his merciful love; He is faithful from age to age” (Psalm 100:5) Dear brother bishops, priests, consecrated men and women and all the faithful of the Catholic Church in China, let us thank the Lord, for “eternal is his merciful love! He made us, we belong to him; we are his people, the sheep of his flock” (Ps 100:3). At this moment, my heart echoes the words of exhortation addressed to you by my venerable predecessor in his Letter of 27 May 2007: “Catholic Church in China, you are a small flock present and active within the vastness of an immense people journeying through history. How stirring and encouraging these words of Jesus are for you: ‘Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s pleasure to give you the kingdom’ (Lk 12:32)! … Therefore, ‘let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven’ (Mt 5:16)” (BENEDICT XVI, Letter to Chinese Catholics, 27 May 2007, 5).

1. Of late, many conflicting reports have circulated about the present and, in particular, the future of the Catholic communities in China. I am aware that this flurry of thoughts and opinions may have caused a certain confusion and prompted different reactions in the hearts of many. Some feel doubt and perplexity, while others sense themselves somehow abandoned by the Holy See and anxiously question the value of their sufferings endured out of fidelity to the Successor of Peter. In many others, there prevail positive expectations and reflections inspired by the hope of a more serene future for a fruitful witness to the faith in China. This situation has become more acute, particularly with regard to the Provisional Agreement between the Holy See and the People’s Republic of China, which, as you know, was signed in recent days in Beijing. At so significant a moment for the life of the Church, I want to assure you through this brief Message that you are daily present in my prayers, and to share with you my heartfelt feelings. They are sentiments of thanksgiving to the Lord and of sincere admiration – which is the admiration of the entire Catholic Church – for the gift of your fidelity, your constancy amid trials, and your firm trust in God’s providence, even when certain situations proved particularly adverse and difficult. These painful experiences are part of the spiritual treasury of the Church in China and of all God’s pilgrim people on earth. I assure you that the Lord, through the crucible of our trials, never fails to pour out his consolations upon us and to prepare us for an even greater joy. In the words of the Psalmist, we are more than certain that “those who are sowing in tears, will sing when they reap” (Ps 126[125]:5). Let us continue to look, then, to the example of all those faithful laity and pastors who readily offered their “good witness” (cf. 1 Tim 6:13) to the Gospel, even to the sacrifice of their own lives. They showed themselves true friends of God!

2. For my part, I have always looked upon China as a land of great opportunities and the Chinese people as the creators and guardians of an inestimable patrimony of culture and wisdom, refined by resisting adversity and embracing diversity, and which, not by chance, entered into contact from early times with the Christian message. As Father Matteo Ricci, S.J., perceptively noted in challenging us to the virtue of trust, “before entering into friendship, one must observe; after becoming friends, one must trust” (De Amicitia, 7). I too am convinced that encounter can be authentic and fruitful only if it occurs through the practice of dialogue, which involves coming to know one another, to respect one another and to “walk together” for the sake of building a common future of sublime harmony. This is the context in which to view the Provisional Agreement, which is the result of a lengthy and complex institutional dialogue between the Holy See and the Chinese authorities initiated by Saint John Paul II and continued by Pope Benedict XVI. Through this process, the Holy See has desired – and continues to desire – only to attain the Church’s specific spiritual and pastoral aims, namely, to support and advance the preaching of the Gospel, and to reestablish and preserve the full and visible unity of the Catholic community in China. With regard to the importance of this Agreement and its aims, I would like to share with you a few reflections and provide you with some input of a spiritual pastoral nature for the journey we are called to undertake in this new phase. It is a journey that, as in its earlier stages, “requires time and presupposes the good will of both parties” (BENEDICT XVI, Letter to Chinese Catholics, 27 May 2007, 4). But for the Church, within and outside of China, this involves more than simply respecting human values. It is also a spiritual calling: to go out from herself to embrace “the joys and the hopes, the grief and anguish of the people of our time, especially those who are poor or afflicted” (SECOND VATICAN ECUMENICAL COUNCIL, Pastoral Constitution Gaudium et Spes, 1) and the challenges of the present that God entrusts to us. It is thus an ecclesial summons to become pilgrims along the paths of history, trusting before all else in God and in his promises, as did Abraham and our fathers in the faith. Called by God, Abraham obeyed by setting out for an unknown land that he was to receive as an inheritance, without knowing the path that lay ahead. Had Abraham demanded ideal social and political conditions before leaving his land, perhaps he would never have set out. Instead, he trusted in God and in response to God’s word he left his home and its safety. It was not historical changes that made him put his trust in God; rather, it was his pure faith that brought about a change in history. For faith is “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Indeed, by faith our ancestors received [God��s] approval” (Heb 11:1-2).

3. As the Successor of Peter, I want to confirm you in this faith (cf. Lk 22:32) – in the faith of Abraham, in the faith of the Virgin Mary, in the faith you have received –and to ask you to place your trust ever more firmly in the Lord of history and in the Church’s discernment of his will. May all of us implore the gift of the Spirit to illumine our minds, warm our hearts and help us to understand where he would lead us, in order to overcome inevitable moments of bewilderment, and to find the strength to set out resolutely on the road ahead. Precisely for the sake of supporting and promoting the preaching of the Gospel in China and reestablishing full and visible unity in the Church, it was essential, before all else, to deal with the issue of the appointment of bishops. Regrettably, as we know, the recent history of the Catholic Church in China has been marked by deep and painful tensions, hurts and divisions, centred especially on the figure of the bishop as the guardian of the authenticity of the faith and as guarantor of ecclesial communion. When, in the past, it was presumed to determine the internal life of the Catholic communities, imposing direct control above and beyond the legitimate competence of the state, the phenomenon of clandestinity arose in the Church in China. This experience – it must be emphasized – is not a normal part of the life of the Church and “history shows that pastors and faithful have recourse to it only amid suffering, in the desire to maintain the integrity of their faith” (BENEDICT XVI, Letter to Chinese Catholics, 27 May 2007, 8). I would have you know that, from the time I was entrusted with the Petrine ministry, I have experienced great consolation in knowing the heartfelt desire of Chinese Catholics to live their faith in full communion with the universal Church and with the Successor of Peter, who is “the perpetual and visible source and foundation of the unity both of the bishops and of the whole company of the faithful” (SECOND VATICAN ECUMENICAL COUNCIL, Dogmatic Constitution Lumen Gentium, 23). In these years, I have received numerous concrete signs and testimonies of that desire, including from bishops who have damaged communion in the Church as a result of weakness and errors, but also, and not infrequently, due to powerful and undue pressure from without. Consequently, after carefully examining every individual personal situation, and listening to different points of view, I have devoted much time to reflection and prayer, seeking the true good of the Church in China. In the end, before the Lord and with serenity of judgment, in continuity with the direction set by my immediate predecessors, I have determined to grant reconciliation to the remaining seven “official” bishops ordained without papal mandate and, having lifted every relevant canonical sanction, to readmit them to full ecclesial communion. At the same time, I ask them to express with concrete and visible gestures their restored unity with the Apostolic See and with the Churches spread throughout the world, and to remain faithful despite any difficulties.

4. In the sixth year of my Pontificate, which I have placed from the beginning under the banner of God’s merciful love, I now invite all Chinese Catholics to work towards reconciliation. May all be mindful, with renewed apostolic zeal, of the words of Saint Paul: “God… has reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Cor 5:18). Indeed, as I wrote at the conclusion of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, “no law or precept can prevent God from once more embracing the son who returns to him admitting that he has done wrong but intending to start his life anew. Remaining only at the level of the law is equivalent to thwarting faith and divine mercy… Even in the most complex cases, where there is a temptation to apply a justice derived from rules alone, we must believe in the power flowing from divine grace” (Apostolic Letter Misericordia et Misera, 20 November 2016, 11). In this spirit, and in line with the decisions that have been made, we can initiate an unprecedented process that we hope will help to heal the wounds of the past, restore full communion among all Chinese Catholics, and lead to a phase of greater fraternal cooperation, in order to renew our commitment to the mission of proclaiming the Gospel. For the Church exists for the sake of bearing witness to Jesus Christ and to the forgiving and saving love of the Father.

5. The Provisional Agreement signed with the Chinese authorities, while limited to certain aspects of the Church’s life and necessarily capable of improvement, can contribute – for its part – to writing this new chapter of the Catholic Church in China. For the first time, the Agreement sets out stable elements of cooperation between the state authorities and the Apostolic See, in the hope of providing the Catholic community with good shepherds. In this context, the Holy See intends fully to play its own part. Yet an important part also falls to you, the bishops, priests, consecrated men and women, and lay faithful: to join in seeking good candidates capable of taking up in the Church the demanding and important ministry of bishop. It is not a question of appointing functionaries to deal with religious issues, but of finding authentic shepherds according to the heart of Jesus, men committed to working generously in the service of God’s people, especially the poor and the most vulnerable. Men who take seriously the Lord’s words: “Whoever would become great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be the slave of all” (Mk 10:43-44). In this regard, it seems clear that an Agreement is merely an instrument, and not of itself capable of resolving all existing problems. Indeed, it will prove ineffective and unproductive, unless it is accompanied by a deep commitment to renewing personal attitudes and ecclesial forms of conduct.

6. On the pastoral level, the Catholic community in China is called to be united, so as to overcome the divisions of the past that have caused, and continue to cause great suffering in the hearts of many pastors and faithful. All Christians, none excluded, must now offer gestures of reconciliation and communion. In this regard, let us keep in mind the admonition of Saint John of the Cross: “In the evening of life, we will be judged on love” (Dichos, 64). On the civil and political level, Chinese Catholics must be good citizens, loving their homeland and serving their country with diligence and honesty, to the best of their ability. On the ethical level, they should be aware that many of their fellow citizens expect from them a greater commitment to the service of the common good and the harmonious growth of society as a whole. In particular, Catholics ought to make a prophetic and constructive contribution born of their faith in the kingdom of God. At times, this may also require of them the effort to offer a word of criticism, not out of sterile opposition, but for the sake of building a society that is more just, humane and respectful of the dignity of each person.

7. I now turn to you, my brother bishops, priests and consecrated persons who “serve the Lord with gladness” (Ps 100:2). Let us recognize one another as followers of Christ in the service of God’s people. Let us make pastoral charity the compass for our ministry. Let us leave behind past conflicts and attempts to pursue our own interests, and care for the faithful, making our own their joys and their sufferings. Let us work humbly for reconciliation and unity. With energy and enthusiasm, let us take up the path of evangelization indicated by the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council. To everyone, I say once more with great affection: “Let us be inspired to act by the example of all those priests, religious, and laity who devote themselves to proclamation and to serving others with great fidelity, often at the risk of their lives and certainly at the cost of their comfort. Their testimony reminds us that, more than bureaucrats and functionaries, the Church needs passionate missionaries, enthusiastic about sharing true life. The saints surprise us; they confound us, because by their lives they urge us to abandon a dull and dreary mediocrity” (Apostolic Exhortation Gaudete et Exsultate, 19 March 2018, 138). I ask you wholeheartedly to beg for the grace not to hesitate when the Spirit calls us to take a step forward: “Let us ask for the apostolic courage to share the Gospel with others and to stop trying to make our Christian life a museum of memories. In every situation, may the Holy Spirit cause us to contemplate history in the light of the risen Jesus. In this way, the Church will not stand still, but constantly welcome the Lord’s surprises” (ibid., 139).

8. In this year, when the entire Church celebrates the Synod on Young People, I would like to say a special word to you, young Chinese Catholics, who enter the gates of the house of the Lord “giving thanks [and] with songs of praise” (Ps 100:4). I ask you to cooperate in building the future of your country with the talents and gifts that you have received, and with the youthfulness of your faith. I encourage you to bring, by your enthusiasm, the joy of the Gospel to everyone you meet. Be ready to accept the sure guidance of the Holy Spirit, who shows today’s world the path to reconciliation and peace. Let yourselves be surprised by the renewing power of grace, even when it may seem that the Lord is asking more of you than you think you can give. Do not be afraid to listen to his voice as he calls you to fraternity, encounter, capacity for dialogue and forgiveness, and a spirit of service, regardless of the painful experiences of the recent past and wounds not yet healed. Open your hearts and minds to discern the merciful plan of God, who asks us to rise above personal prejudices and conflicts between groups and communities, in order to undertake a courageous fraternal journey in the light of an authentic culture of encounter. Nowadays there is no lack of temptations: the pride born of worldly success, narrow-mindedness and absorption in material things, as if God did not exist. Go against the flow and stand firm in the Lord: “for he is good; eternal is his merciful love; he is faithful from age to age” (Ps 100:5).

9. Dear brothers and sisters of the universal Church, all of us are called to recognize as one of the signs of our times everything that is happening today in the life of the Church in China. We have an important duty: to accompany our brothers and sisters in China with fervent prayer and fraternal friendship. Indeed, they need to feel that in the journey that now lies ahead, they are not alone. They need to be accepted and supported as a vital part of the Church. “How good and pleasant it is, when brothers dwell together in unity!” (Ps 133:1). Each local Catholic community in every part of the world should make an effort to appreciate and integrate the spiritual and cultural treasures proper to Chinese Catholics. The time has come to taste together the genuine fruits of the Gospel sown in the ancient “Middle Kingdom” and to raise to the Lord Jesus Christ a hymn of faith and thanksgiving, enriched by authentically Chinese notes.

10. I now turn with respect to the leaders of the People’s Republic of China and renew my invitation to continue, with trust, courage and farsightedness, the dialogue begun some time ago. I wish to assure them that the Holy See will continue to work sincerely for the growth of genuine friendship with the Chinese people. The present contacts between the Holy See and the Chinese government are proving useful for overcoming past differences, even those of the more recent past, and for opening a new chapter of more serene and practical cooperation, in the shared conviction that “incomprehension [serves] the interests of neither the Chinese people nor the Catholic Church in China” (BENEDICT XVI, Letter to Chinese Catholics, 27 May 2007, 4). In this way, China and the Apostolic See, called by history to an arduous yet exciting task, will be able to act more positively for the orderly and harmonious growth of the Catholic community in China. They will make efforts to promote the integral development of society by ensuring greater respect for the human person, also in the religious sphere, and will work concretely to protect the environment in which we live and to build a future of peace and fraternity between peoples. In China, it is essential that, also on the local level, relations between the leaders of ecclesial communities and the civil authorities become more productive through frank dialogue and impartial listening, so as to overcome antagonism on both sides. A new style of straightforward daily cooperation needs to develop between local authorities and ecclesiastical authorities – bishops, priests and community elders – in order to ensure that pastoral activities take place in an orderly manner, in harmony with the legitimate expectations of the faithful and the decisions of competent authorities. This will help make it clear that the Church in China is not oblivious to Chinese history, nor does she seek any privilege. Her aim in the dialogue with civil authorities is that of “building a relationship based on mutual respect and deeper understanding” (ibid.).

11. In the name of the whole Church, I beg the Lord for the gift of peace, and I invite all to join me in invoking the maternal protection of the Virgin Mary: Mother of Heaven, hear the plea of your children as we humbly call upon your name! Virgin of Hope, we entrust to you the journey of the faithful in the noble land of China. We ask you to present to the Lord of history the trials and tribulations, the petitions and the hopes of all those who pray to you, O Queen of Heaven! Mother of the Church, we consecrate to you the present and the future of our families and our communities. Protect and sustain them in fraternal reconciliation and in service to the poor who bless your name, O Queen of Heaven! Consolation of the Afflicted, we turn to you, for you are the refuge of all who weep amid their trials. Watch over your sons and daughters who praise your name; make them one in bringing the proclamation of the Gospel. Accompany their efforts to build a more fraternal world. Grant that they may bring the joy of forgiveness to all whom they meet, O Queen of Heaven! Mary, Help of Christians, for China we implore days of blessing and of peace. Amen! From the Vatican, 26 September 2018

FRANCIS

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seekfirstme · 5 years ago

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Meditation: What lesson can we draw from Jesus' parable about a thief in the night and the parable of the rich master who returns unexpectedly to reward or dismiss his servants for how they have served his estate while he was away? Both parables confront us with the possibility of losing everything we possess and treasure now as well as the future inheritance that is saved up for us.

The thief in the night

Jesus' story (parable) of the thief in the night brings home the necessity for careful watchfulness and staying alert to avert the danger of plunder and loss of livelhood (all that we need to sustain us now and in the future). The thief comes uninvited, especially under the cover of darkness and secrecy! While no thief would announce his intention in advance, nor the time when he would strike, lack of vigilance invites serious loss for those who have not kept their home and treasure secure at all times! The intruder strikes when he is least expected!

Don't lose the treasure of God's kingdom

What kind of treasure does the Lord Jesus expect us to vigilantly guard and protect in this present life? It is the treasure of his kingdom and the gifts and graces he has won for us - the gift of salvation purchased by the blood of Christ who died for us on the cross to free us from slavery to sin and Satan, and the gift of abundant new life which Christ won for us through his resurection victory over death, and the gift of the Holy Spirit who comes to live in us and empower us with supernatural faith, hope, and love that endure forever. The Father and the Son come to dwell in us through the gift of the Holy Spirit who makes his home with us. But we can lose the treasure and gifts of God if we do not guard our hearts and minds and hold to the truth of God's word and live according to his wise precepts, teaching, and just laws. Whose voice and counsel do you trust and follow?

Satan comes like a thief in the night to rob us of our faith and to draw us away from God's will for our lives. Satan works in the "world" (that society of men and women who are opposed to God and his commandments) and with our own "flesh" (those sinful inclinations within us that tempt us to do what is wrong and evil). And Satan wispers to us false promises to make us believe that we can find happiness and joy apart from God and his will for us.

The prophet Jeremiah reminds us that our hearts apart from God are easily deceived (Jeremiah 17:9). How easily we put off for another day what God requires of us today - to walk humbly, repent sincerely, forgive quickly, and to trust in his merciful love and grace at all times. God offers us his mercy and abundant grace (his divine presence, power, and wise counsel) to turn away from sin, deception, and disobedience. But we must not presume that we can put off for another day what must be done today.

The Lord Jesus reminds us that the "Day of the Lord" will come unexpectedly like a thief in the night. Will we be ready to receive the Lord when he comes to speak to us today, and when he ushers us to stand before his throne and meet him face-to-face to hear his final verdict on the Day of Judgment. Which verdict do you wish to hear? In Matthew's Gospel account, Jesus opens the curtain of the heavenly court room and gives a glimpse of his verdict on that day:

34 Then the King will say to those at his right hand, `Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; 35 for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' ...41 Then he will say to those at his left hand, `Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; 42 for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' - Matthew 25:34-36, 41-43

The Lord rewards those who are faithful and wise

Jesus ends his teaching on watchfulness and vigilance with another parable about a master and his servants (Matthew 24:.45-49). The storyline is similar. There is an element of surprise - the master suddenly returns home unexpectedly, probably from a long journey. He rewards one servant for his faithful loyalty and devoted service to his master. He has performed his service dutifully and has done all that the master required of him.

He punishes the other servant who was disloyal, disobedient, and acted shamefully. This servant was not only irresponsible - he was frequently absent from his work and misused his master's money for personal gain by throwing lavish parties (eating and drinking) for his friends. The disloyal servant also abused his fellow workers with physical force and violence - probably to make them do the work he was supposed to do for his master. When the master returns and discovers the unfaithful servant who has wasted his master's goods and mistreated his fellow servants, the master gives him what he deserves. He dismisses him from his service and throws him out of his house - and sends him to the worst of possible places - a prison of no return where there is nothing but torment and misery. Should we be surprised to see the master acting with such swift judgment? The master rewards his faithful servants with honor, blessing, and promotion in his service, and he gives to his disobedient and unfaithful servants the just punishment they deserve - the loss of honor, privilege, and joy of sharing in the master's good friendship forever.

Are you ready to meet the Lord?

The Lord Jesus calls us to be vigilant in watching for his return and to be ready to meet him when he calls us to himself. The Lord gives us his Holy Spirit so that we may have the wisdom, strength, and help we need to turn away from own sin and to embrace God's way of love, justice, and holiness. The Lord's warning of judgment causes dismay for those who are unprepared, but it brings joyful hope to those who eagerly wait for his return in glory. God's judgment is good news for those who are ready to meet him face to face when he returns. Their reward is God himself, the source of all truth, beauty, goodness, love and everlasting life. Are you ready to receive his grace and help today to walk in faithfulness and obedience, trust and hope, steadfast love and mercy?

"Lord Jesus, you have captured my heart for you. Make me strong in faith, steadfast in hope, and generous in love that I may seek to please you in all things and bring you glory. May I always be watchful and ready to answer when you draw near."

DIVINE LOVE AND OUR RESPONSIBILITY

"When much has been given a man, much will be required of him. More will be asked of a man to whom more has been entrusted." Luke 12:48

We Catholic Christians rejoice that we have the fullness of the faith. No one can receive any more than the fullness.

We receive the Body and the Blood, the soul and the divinity of Jesus in Holy Communion. What more can God do for us?

All Christians have by virtue of Baptism a double, simultaneous indwelling God is in us and we are in Him (see Jn 6:56; 17:23). God has given us "immeasurably more than we ask or imagine" (Eph 3:20).

God even became a Man, died on the cross, and rose from the dead for our salvation. "There is no greater love than this" (Jn 15:13).

God has given us a new nature (see 2 Pt 1:4) and made us " 'a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people He claims for His own to proclaim the glorious works' of the One Who called [us] from darkness into His marvelous light" (1 Pt 2:9).

All this is only part of the beginning of the manifestation of God's love for us. Our future is "full of hope" (Jer 29:11), for "eye has not seen, ear has not heard, nor has it so much as dawned on man what God has prepared for those who love Him" (1 Cor 2:9).

It is a profound understatement to say that the Lord has given us much and more than much. Because we are perfectly and infinitely loved, much more is required of us (Lk 12:48). Live and love accordingly.

Prayer: Father, make my life holy of the highest quality. Promise: "Offer yourselves to God as men who have come back from the dead to life, and your bodies to God as weapons for justice." —Rm 6:13 Praise: St. John of Capistrano was a lawyer and judge before becoming a Franciscan priest. He preached in Italy, Germany, Austria, Hungary and Russia.

Rescript: In accord with the Code of Canon Law, I hereby grant the Nihil Obstat ("Permission to Publish") for One Bread, One Body covering the period from October 1, 2019 through November 30, 2019.

Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, March 11, 2019.

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kansascityhappenings · 6 years ago

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Leaders from around the world react to George H.W. Bush’s death

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The 41st President of the United States and patriarch of a political dynasty, George H.W. Bush died on Friday in Houston. He was 94 years old. Friends, world leaders and fellow politicians are now paying tribute to the man remembered as a World War II combat pilot, a Cold War politician, and a compassionate family man.

President Donald J. Trump and first lady Melania Trump: Melania and I join with a grieving Nation to mourn the loss of former President George H.W. Bush, who passed away last night.

Through his essential authenticity, disarming wit, and unwavering commitment to faith, family, and country, President Bush inspired generations of his fellow Americans to public service — to be, in his words, “a thousand points of light” illuminating the greatness, hope, and opportunity of America to the world.

President Bush always found a way to set the bar higher. As a young man, he captained the Yale baseball team, and then went on to serve as the youngest aviator in the United States Navy during the Second World War. Later in life, he rose to the pinnacle of American politics as a Congressman from Texas, envoy to China, Director of Central Intelligence, Vice President of eight years to President Ronald Reagan, and finally President of the United States.

With sound judgement (sic), common sense, and unflappable leadership, President Bush guided our Nation, and the world, to a peaceful and victorious conclusion of the Cold War. As President, he set the stage for the decades of prosperity that have followed. And through all that he accomplished, he remained humble, following the quiet call to service that gave him a clear sense of direction.

Along with his full life of service to country, we will remember President Bush for his devotion to family — especially the love of his life, Barbara. His example lives on, and will continue to stir future Americans to pursue a greater cause. Our hearts ache with his loss, and we, with the American people, send our prayers to the entire Bush family, as we honor the life and legacy of 41.

Former President Barack Obama: America has lost a patriot and humble servant in George Herbert Walker Bush. While our hearts are heavy today, they are also filled with gratitude. Not merely for the years he spent as our forty-first President, but for the more than 70 years he spent in devoted service to the country he loved — from a decorated Naval aviator who nearly gave his life in World War II, to Commander-in-Chief of our Armed Forces, with plenty of posts along the way. Ambassador to the United Nations. Director of Central Intelligence. U.S. Envoy to China. Vice President of the United States.

George H.W. Bush’s life is a testament to the notion that public service is a noble, joyous calling. And he did tremendous good along the journey. Expanding America’s promise to new immigrants and people with disabilities. Reducing the scourge of nuclear weapons and building a broad international coalition to expel a dictator from Kuwait. And when democratic revolutions bloomed across Eastern Europe, it was his steady, diplomatic hand that made possible an achievement once thought anything but — ending the Cold War without firing a shot.

It’s a legacy of service that may never be matched, even though he’d want all of us to try.

After seventy-three years of marriage, George and Barbara Bush are together again now, two points of light that never dimmed, two points of light that ignited countless others with their example — the example of a man who, even after commanding the world’s mightiest military, once said “I got more of a kick out of being one of the founders of the YMCA in Midland, Texas back in 1952 than almost anything I’ve done.”

What a testament to the qualities that make this country great. Service to others. Commitment to leaving behind something better. Sacrifice in the name of lifting this country closer to its founding ideals. Our thoughts are with the entire Bush family tonight — and all who were inspired by George and Barbara’s example.

Former Vice President Al Gore: President George H.W. Bush served our nation with extraordinary integrity and grace. I will remember him for his personal kindness and for his love of this country. He earned bipartisan respect for speaking up and taking action for what he believed was right, even when doing so was unpopular. He inspired countless Americans to volunteer and improve their communities through his point of life Foundation. President Bush leaves behind an American legacy of a lifetime of service that will be revered for generations.

Former President Bill and former first lady Hillary Clinton: Hillary and I mourn the passing of President George H.W. Bush, and give thanks for his great long life of service, love, and friendship. I will be forever grateful for the friendship we formed. From the moment I met him as a young governor invited to his home in Kennebunkport, I was struck by the kindness he showed to Chelsea, by his innate and genuine decency, and by his devotion to Barbara, his children, and their growing brood.

Few Americans have been—or will ever be—able to match President Bush’s record of service to the United States and the joy he took every day from it; from his military service in World War II, to his work in Congress, the United Nations, China, the Central Intelligence Agency, the Vice Presidency and the Presidency, where he worked to move the post Cold War world toward greater unity, peace, and freedom. He never stopped serving. I saw it up close, working with him on tsunami relief in Asia and here at home after Hurricane Katrina. His remarkable leadership and great heart were always on full display.

I am profoundly grateful for every minute I spent with President Bush and will always hold our friendship as one of my life’s greatest gifts. Our hearts and prayers are with George, Jeb, Neil, Marvin, Doro, their families, and the entire Bush clan.

Hillary Clinton: George H.W. Bush was a beloved father (and) grandfather, a war hero, a public servant, (and) a class act. In my experiences (with) him, I always valued his desire to listen, look at evidence (and) ask for ideas, even from people (with) different beliefs. My heart goes out to the entire Bush family.

US Naval Air Forces: Naval Aviation mourns the passing of our 41st President, George H.W. Bush, a Naval Aviator, statesman, and humble public servant. His legacy lives on in those who don the cloth of our great nation and in the mighty warship which bears his name, @CVN77_GHWB. May he Rest In Peace.

Ex-Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev: “I express my deep condolences to the family of George H.W. Bush and all Americans over of the death of the 41st president of the United States,” he told the Russian news agency Interfax. Gorbachev and Bush worked closely to help end to the Cold War.

“I have a lot of memories associated with this person. We had a chance to work together during the years of tremendous changes. It was a dramatic time that demanded great responsibility from everyone. The result was an end to the Cold War and the nuclear arms race,” Gorbachev added.

“I pay tribute to the contribution of George H. W. Bush to this historic achievement. He was a real partner,” he said.

French President Emmanuel Macron: “On behalf of the French people, I convey all my condolences to the American nation for the loss of former President George Bush. He was a world leader, who strongly supported the alliance with Europe. Our sympathy to his family and beloved ones.”

Prime Minister of Great Britain Theresa May: “Today Britain remembers a great statesman and a true friend of our country. We send our deepest condolences to the American people and to the family he leaves behind,” the Prime Minister said Saturday.

“President George H. W. Bush’s ethos of public service was the guiding thread of his life and an example to us all. It took him from service in World War II, to his stewardship of the CIA and his direction of the Gulf War as Commander-in-Chief. And in navigating a peaceful end to the Cold War he made the world a safer place for generations to come.”

Australian Prime Minister John Howard: George Herbert Walker Bush, 41st president of the United States, was in office when arguably the most momentous event in post Second World War affairs occurred – the collapse of the Communist empire of the Soviet Union.

Initially as Vice President to Ronald Reagan, and later as President himself, he played a major role in shaping those historic years.

The late President possessed an endearing sense of humor and always exhibited immense public grace. He was the patriarch of a great American family.

At all times he was a true friend of Australia. He visited our country on a number of occasions. He was the first American president to address a joint sitting of our national parliament.

I extend my deep sympathy to the late President’s family. He exemplified the best of his nation’s values in both war and peace.

Former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger: Today, we’ve lost a great hero. George Bush was an inspiration to all Americans and we will miss him dearly. From the day he first put on his US Navy flight suit and took off into the unknown, he always put his country first. He took on many jobs throughout his long career, and all shared one distinct trait: public service. His greatest legacy is that pure American spirit, that commitment to selflessness that drove him until the very end.

He was born in a time that seemed to produce an endless supply of heroes, but make no mistake: George Bush embodied everything that made the Greatest Generation great.

I will always be grateful to him for his friendship, for embracing me and imparting just a fraction of his wisdom during our time together. Some of my fondest memories are of sledding with him at Camp David and inspiring America to join our fitness crusade by hosting the Great American Workout with him on the White House lawn and listening to his speech advice as we flew between campaign rallies. I will never forget the pride I felt the day he appointed me Chairman of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. I loved to hear him surprise people with his wild side — explaining the pure joy he felt as he flew and jumped out of planes. I also loved to hear him explain his passion for this country — it was a true love that knew no petty boundaries or party lines. He taught me so much, but most of all, he taught me the power of serving a cause greater than yourself. I count myself lucky for many reasons; but for the opportunity to call George Bush a mentor, I can’t help but think I’m the luckiest man in America.

President Bush has left us for one last flight but his destination isn’t unknown. He’s flying into the arms of the love of his life, Barbara. This evening, each of us should take a minute to look up and offer him a silent thanks.

Former President Richard Nixon’s daughters Tricia Nixon Cox and Julie Nixon Eisenhower: Our father believed in George H.W. Bush. Richard Nixon kicked off George Bush’s campaign for congress in 1966, encouraged him to run for senate in 1970, entrusted him as U.N. Ambassador and head of the RNC, and supported him tirelessly when he served as President for four years.

George H.W. Bush lived a life that was purposeful, and extraordinarily rewarding—for our nation, and for our world.

While people everywhere salute and thank George H.W. Bush today, we take special solace in knowing that President and Mrs. Bush are together again.

Former Vice President Joe Biden: From the moment he signed up as an 18-year-old Naval aviator a few months after Pearl Harbor and for every step after that in his lengthy career as a diplomat, Congressman, Vice President, and President — George H.W. Bush chose a path of service.

He was a man who presided over the peaceful end to the Cold War and the reunification of Germany. This was statesmanship and leadership of historic dimensions. So much could have gone wrong but instead went right because of his leadership. This is how history will rightly remember him. Every American — and arguably everybody on Earth — owes him a debt of gratitude for bring such an able steward.

Over the course of the many years we worked with together — and against each other — on the biggest issues of the day, differences of policy were always based on substance. It was never personal. It was never petty. It was always with respect for our institutions and the people they govern.

As we mourn his passing today, we remember a life totally and completely dedicated to the country he loved.

US Senator Marco Rubio: President George H.W. Bush was an American hero, a patriot and a wise and generous man. May he Rest In Peace.

Queen Elizabeth II: It was with sadness that I learned of the death of President George H W Bush last night.

President Bush was a great friend and ally of the United Kingdom. He was also a patriot, serving his country with honour and distinction in Office and during the Second World War.

Prince Philip and I remember our days in Texas in 1991 with great fondness.

My thoughts and prayers are with President Bush’s family and the American people.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau: I am saddened to hear of the passing of President George H. W. Bush. On behalf of all Canadians, Sophie and I offer our deepest condolences to the Bush family and the many close friends who also continue to mourn the loss of his beloved wife, Barbara.

George H. W. Bush’s lifetime of service began when he enlisted during the Second World War and became one of the youngest pilots in the U.S. Navy. His exemplary spirit of service and commitment to country would mark each of his roles — including in Congress, as ambassador to the United Nations, as head of the Central Intelligence Agency, and in the White House.

President Bush was a dedicated and thoughtful leader who stuck by his convictions and values. He did much to strengthen relations between our two countries, championing the North American Free Trade Agreement and initiatives like the fight against acid rain.

As president, he provided steady, principled leadership through a number of decisive international events.

In his retirement from public life, President Bush remained unwavering in his service to others. He raised millions of dollars for charities related to cancer and child poverty, and made considerable contributions to disaster relief efforts in Southeast Asia and the U.S. Gulf Coast states.

Today, all Canadians join our American friends and neighbours in mourning the loss of a great leader and friend. George H. W. Bush’s lifetime of public service has inspired a thousand points of light. His legacy will inspire many more.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: On behalf of the people of Israel I send heartfelt condolences to the Bush family and the American People on the passing of a great American patriot, President George H.W. Bush. His wise leadership at the end of the Cold War helped steer the world to a peaceful transition and the spread of democracy. The People of Israel will always remember his commitment to Israel’s security, his important contribution to the liberation of Soviet Jewry, and his efforts to achieve peace in the Middle East at the Madrid Conference.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in: Our deepest condolences to the American people on the loss of former President George H. W. Bush of the United States. President Bush dedicated himself to world peace and security by taking a leading role in ending the Cold War and reconciling the West and East, and made noble endeavors to bring peace on the Korean Peninsula and strengthen the ROK-US alliance. President George H. W. Bush will be long remembered in the hearts of the Korean people.

US Secret Service: The Secret Service sends our heartfelt condolences on the passing of Former President George H.W. Bush. Timberwolf, you defined patriotism and leadership throughout your life of service to this country and you will be sorely missed.

Former HUD Secretary and fellow Texan Julian Castro: President George Herbert Walker Bush lived an admirable life of service to country. He made a positive impact on the lives of so many Americans. May he Rest In Peace.

Former Texas Governor Rick Perry: Tonight, our Nation honors the life and legacy of President @GeorgeHWBush. His unwavering service to our country and his family are unparalleled. #GigEm

Former Secretary of State Condolezza Rice: President George Herbert Walker Bush was the epitome of a public servant. He loved America with all of his heart and served her as fully and completely as anyone ever has.

I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to work for him, to learn from him and to experience his deep and abiding commitment to his fellow citizens. He was a mentor to me and a dear friend.

President Bush’s legacy is deep and broad: the many people that he touched, the difference that he made in the life of the country and the impact that he had beyond America’s shores. We will never forget his steady and inspired leadership in guiding the world to the peaceful end of the Cold War.

Now he is in God’s loving embrace with Mrs. Barbara Bush, his beloved wife of so many years. He has finished his race with honor and dignity. All who knew him and loved him — especially his remarkable family — will miss him. Yet, he lives on with us in spirit. Rest well, Mr. President.

Republican National Committee: President Bush dedicated himself to serving his country in many roles: a naval aviator, a congressman, an ambassador, RNC chairman, CIA director, vice president, and commander in chief. He stood for American strength and cared deeply for the American people, alongside his late wife Barbara. President Bush’s legacy of bold leadership, patriotism and humanitarianism will live on long after his passing. We at the RNC are praying for the entire Bush family.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner: George H.W. Bush served with valor and integrity as the 41st president of the United States. But to Houstonians he was one of our most esteemed and relatable neighbors. He and his wife Barbara Bush were our sports teams’ biggest fans, and boosters for everything Houston. The Bushes could have moved anywhere after his time in public office, but they chose to return to their beloved city where he started his political career as the chair of the Harris County Republican Party.

“In statesman-like fashion, he knew the importance of reaching across the aisle to find common ground. He backed our bid to host the 2020 Democratic National Convention. He was an equal ally of former election foe President Bill Clinton in helping victims of Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma through the One America Appeal. And I will always be grateful to the Bushes for being kind friends and advisers to me.

“For these reasons and more, I join Houstonians in mourning the death of George Herbert Walker Bush and expressing heartfelt condolences to his children and the rest of the Bush family. May we never forget his service to our country, his call for all of us to be a light to the world, and his loving spirit.”

Texas Governor Greg Abbott: The state of Texas mourns with the nation at the passing of one of our greatest Presidents. George H.W. Bush was an American hero and icon, he was a friend to all he met, he embodied class and dignity. Texans are genuinely honored that he called the Lone Star State home and we collectively grieve this monumental loss. On behalf of Texas, Cecilia and I offer our thoughts and prayers to the Bush family in their time of need.

Apple CEO Tim Cook: We have lost a great American. Service defined President George H.W. Bush’s life, and he taught all of us about leadership, sacrifice and decency. We send our deepest sympathies to the Bush family.

Kevin Ryan, president of Covenant House: Clare and I send our love & sympathy to the Bushes on the loss of Pres. George Bush. At a time when some argued for the quarantine of our @CovenantHouse kids with HIV & AIDS, George & Barbara Bush held them close. I hope those angels now welcome him home to the kingdom of God.

Former FBI Director James Comey: Remembering the wisdom of a great American leader: “America is never wholly herself unless she is engaged in high moral principle. We as a people have such a purpose today. It is to make kinder the face of the nation and gentler the face of the world.”

from FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports https://fox4kc.com/2018/12/01/leaders-from-around-the-world-react-to-george-h-w-bushs-death/

from Kansas City Happenings https://kansascityhappenings.wordpress.com/2018/12/02/leaders-from-around-the-world-react-to-george-h-w-bushs-death/

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