#I made this during church so the bread kind of relates to Christ

[riverseinery]

I think they would be friends <3

[vincenthousman]

All the dogs are just as guilty.

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[brendanelliswilliams]

Homily for Holy Thursday

What follows is the homily I delivered for the Holy Thursday Liturgy at Grace and St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church (online, owing to the realities of the pandemic), on April 9th, 2020. During the present time of radical upheaval, my hope and prayer is that these words, and the worldview and invitation they represent, might inspire and support a few hearts and souls who are now seeking to find a fresh and more life giving way of walking on this sacred Earth.

+

On Holy Thursday we usually speak, in one way or another, of the sustaining qualities of bread, of its symbolism translated into the Holy Eucharist, and to the ‘table of fellowship’ more broadly.

Yet on this occasion we have no sacramental bread to share. We do, however, have other forms of bread to sustain us. ‘Give us this day our daily bread,’ Holy Wisdom invites us to ask—: ‘Grant us the sustenance we need.’ In the ancient Syriac version of the Lord’s Prayer, that line translates more literally as, ‘Grant us the bread we need, from day to day.’

I wonder what bread it is that we actually need. What forms of sustenance do we really require in this life—and in this particular historical moment? It might well be that what we need isn’t at all what we’ve long assumed we needed. And now might be the perfect time for us to realize and fully come to terms with that fact. What is it that truly feeds us—body, mind, heart, and soul? In other words: What’s actually fundamental to our humanness?

The other day my Bishop in California, Marc Andrus, reminded me of a commentary on the Lord’s Prayer written by the contemporary Sufi teacher, Neil Douglas-Klotz. In this commentary, he goes line by line with the prayer and beneath each phrase gives his own reflections or petitions in response to the original text. In response to the line, ‘Give us this day our daily bread,’ he writes:

‘Grant what we need each day in bread and insight: subsistence for the call of growing life.…Let the measure of our need be earthiness: give all things simple, verdant, passionate….Animate the earth within us: we then feel the Wisdom underneath, supporting all. Generate through us the bread of life…grant what we need each day in bread and insight.’

This does a fair job, I think, of pointing—even if somewhat obliquely—to one of our chief sources of nourishment. A source to which our prodigal return is long overdue. That source is God’s manifest Creation: Nature, or, in our specific environment here and now, the Earth, from whom our very life comes forth, and from whom, as Neil Douglas-Klotz points out, comes also Wisdom: Wisdom incarnate, bodily, earthly: Christ the Word of Heaven and the Word of Earth.

‘That peace which the world cannot give, I give to you,’ says the Jesus of John’s Gospel, as he rapidly approaches the end of his incarnate life. ‘The world’ here of course means the world of human contrivance: the social and political world of human beings and our often misguided endeavors. As I hope all of us can see clearly from where we presently stand (if we couldn’t see it before), the world of human affairs, and the way in which this particular society has normatively conducted itself, are most definitely incapable of offering us any real peace—or any authentic meaning and purpose. They have separated and distracted us from who we really are, where we come from, and what it is that actually feeds us.

And now that this social construct is in many ways forced to a temporary halt, we have the opportunity to redress it: to help remediate the misguided way of life we’ve collectively created and perpetuated. Now we’re invited to consider what it would look like to co-create a different kind of world. Perhaps a world that looks more like God’s Kingdom. If we simply kill time till we can rush back to the old, established way of being, then we forfeit this sacred opportunity—this holy opportunity to deeply examine and to heal the toxicities and the injustices of the way of life we’ve too long taken for granted.

And there’s a small but significant analogue to all this in our own parochial setting. It’s of course normal that folks will have grief and nostalgia and other emotions related to being in the physical space of the church, to doing things in a certain way, as they’re used to—that’s all perfectly understandable, and we all feel it to one degree or another. And, at the same time, if all we do is linger there and bide our time till we can return to familiar routines, then what have we gained? What have we really learned from all this? How have we grown and how have we transformed? How have we then accepted the opportunity God has put before us to live into a deeper expression of Her Kingdom?

I say ‘opportunity’ here knowing full well that really engaging the challenge and potential of this time is not a given, and, if history and observation of the present are any indication, many, many people will not seize hold of this opportunity; instead, they’ll find new ways to distract themselves until they can get back to ‘normalcy’. The problem is that the normalcy we’ve had in this culture is by no reasonable standards healthy, just, or aligned in harmony with God’s Creation.

So what will we do about that? What will we who claim to be religious, who claim to follow Christ—who, by the way, has always borne witness against most of what we assume as normal and right, whether we want to acknowledge that fact or not—what will we do about this whole scenario? Will we fall back into old habits, old assumptions and old patterns of corrosive behavior, or will we finally do something fundamentally different to reshape our world for the betterment of all? That is the challenge and the invitation I humbly place before you in this week of sacred observance, here in this liminal time: this time of fear and uncertainty, yes, but also of opportunity—of sacred opportunity.

Collectively, the bread we need is not to be found in material concern. The bread we need is the bread of true communion, which begins in each of us, and is manifest as loving connection with the whole of Life, the whole of God’s Creation. And in our context as a parish community, the bread we ultimately have to share with the world that truly nourishes is not to be found in our building, in our customs, in our supposed worldview assumptions, which many don’t fully understand or accept anyway. The bread—the real nourishment we hold and have to share—is to be found in the depth and quality of our witness. In our Sacraments, yes, but even more fundamentally, in the depth of our love: for one another, and for the whole of Creation. And it’s to be found in the depth of the transformation we’ve each undergone as spiritual seekers. All the rest is ultimately window dressing.

So, I want to say to you tonight, dear friends, that the real measure of how adequately we meet this strange and challenging time—the true measure of how adequately we meet it, of whether or not we embrace the opportunity God provides in it—is how well and how fully we’re able to live now into a new and more life giving paradigm: one of true interconnection with the whole of Life, and one which privileges in our language, in our focus, and in our practice the authentic and dynamic values of Nature, which are the values of the Origin of Life.

How will you—and how will we, as the Church—bear deep and relevant witness to those values now? That, I believe, is the charge and the invitation God has placed on our hearts.

May the Holy Wisdom of our Creator—who comes not just from above, but equally from below: from the clay of which we, too, are made; from the living Earth beneath our feet—bless and sanctify us all in that endeavor of integrous action and discovery, and equip us for the difficult work of actually living into and co-creating Her Kingdom. Amen.

[barbaramoorersm]

April 26, 2020

Third Sunday of Easter

Acts of the Apostles 2:14, 22-33

Luke portrays Peter preaching to his fellow Israelites about the life, death and resurrection the Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 1: 17-21

This letter reflects the role and importance of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.

Luke 24: 13-35

Here we listen to the beloved story of the two on the way to Emmaus.

  I am reading a new book entitled, “The Birth of Christianity: The First Generation,” by Paula Fredriksen.  It is a fascinating look at the early days of Christianity, and the tragedy and impact of the death of Jesus and his resurrection.  One if her points is the fact that the disciples while being afraid after the death of Jesus, remained in Jerusalem and did not flee.  Even the two in today’s Gospel who left Jerusalem, returned in haste once they experienced the risen Lord.  His followers were not rounded up or arrested. She concludes that it was Jesus who presented the problem with his insistence that the “Kingdom of God” was at hand.  His death was to be an example to others to remember their place, and who was in charge. Thus, we find the early church taking root in Jerusalem, the city that was the heart and soul of their Jewish faith.

Today’s Gospel contains one of the most beautiful stories in Scripture.  It relates heartache, escape, hospitality, openness, experience and return. Jesus approaches two on their way to from Jerusalem to Emmaus, perhaps discouraged and sadden by recent events.  One is named, Cleopas and his companion.  Perhaps his wife?  Jesus aware of their struggles extends himself and is open to them and their issues. Then according to Luke, Jesus, while still unrecognized, “…beginning with Moses and all the prophets … interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures”.  One senses that connecting Jesus to the prophets was well under way in the very early Christian community. This is a significant link between what we name the Old Testament and the New. In the midst of hospitality and a meal Jesus is recognized in the “breaking of the bread”.   And note, the two rush back to the Holy City to share the news. Jerusalem, where Jesus’ core community gathered and remained. 

This story portrays what we might call a “Eucharist”. The breaking open of the Word, and the “taking, blessing, breaking and giving” of bread to be shared. Today we hear, “The Mass is ended, go in peace to love and serve the Lord and one another”.   In this event, once the two realized what they had experienced, they “…got up that same hour and returned to Jerusalem” to serve by sharing what they had seen and heard. 

This beautiful story contains all the hallmarks of Christian community.  The walking along with others in times of stress and heartache.  The listening to another’s struggles.  The attempt to bring solace to others.  The giving and accepting of hospitality. The centrality of Word and Sacrament.

This Easter story is a powerful one for our times and during our current experiences. Presence even at a distance, listening, companioning, sharing and praying are important avenues of support. Jesus knew this reality and offers us the opportunity to do the same for one another. Never underestimate the importance of actions that seem so ordinary.  That is true for us these days, as it was in this Gospel story.  An ordinary sharing of bread became an extraordinary event.  Because of it and because of what we are able to do, people can say as the two said on their way back from Emmaus, “…the Lord is risen and (was) made known to them in the breaking of the bread”. We might add, these days the Lord is also  made known to others in the acts of love and kindness we can share.

Perhaps during this coming week after Easter, we might put ourselves in the place of Cleopas and his companion, and reflect on the experience of that encounter with the risen Lord, and how it might inspire us in our relationships with others.

[gojiayiblog-blog]

“culture Hybird” --A workshop about making shortbread

Critical thinking

Through this social practice in B16, I re-understand art. I always think that the creation and display of art is in a place with a relatively "ceremonial sense". For example, we will create in a studio and display works in galleries, museums and other formal places. However, in this event, art was directly transferred to people's daily lives. Artistic language and artistic methods have become simple, they are extremely close to people's daily lives. It is because of this that there is more space for the development of artistic thought.

Firstly, art comes from life, whether it is "game theory", "labor theory", "witchcraft theory" ... In fact, it is essentially an activity that occurs in life. This should be a feeling of my coming to Birmingham to study, especially after this activity. In China, everyone only accepts works of art in the school system, and people rarely value the art of life. However, this practice in B16 made me feel that everyone who participated in the "shortbread" event had their own unique ideas. They had serious thoughts on what to express, and their attitude towards this little cookie was serious too.

Secondly, art is the combination of simple individuals. No matter how large a work of art is, it is continuously completed step by step. Even great art ideas are promoted by small ideas. The average production time of everyone was only about 10 minutes, but the short time recorded the thoughts that flashed in their minds. Joseph Beuys said, "Everyone is an artist." In reality, not everyone is an artist. I think it is because the artist is good at recording every simple and small thought in his daily life. In the end, these small thoughts are enough to become a work, from quantitative change to qualitative change.

Finally, the art of life is the more real. Towards the end of the event, when I delivered the baked "work" to each of them, they did not simply pick up and eat it like they would treat a biscuit. Almost everyone held up the plate and looked at the shortbread carefully, and when I interviewed them and asked about the meaning of the pattern, people also looked very excited. In their opinion, this shortbread has a special meaning. In my opinion, this may be a rare self-creation in their life, and I designed this event to have the honor of witnessing their occurrence. People's feedback has also impressed me greatly.

This time, although it was carried out for the purpose of cultural exchange, let the participants know some information about the culture of Chinese ancient characters. However, what I saw at the event was not just the sharing of foreign cultures. It is a strong response from the participation of art in social practice.

General idea about the course

Linked to the practices of art participating in society, I suddenly thought that during the Spring Festival in China, almost every community will hold activities for artists to write Spring Festival couplets and send blessings. Therefore, I decided to hold a cultural sharing and exchange activity in B16.

Inspirations (1)

In the UK, my major course is contemporary art China, and the element of calligraphy is more and more widely used in contemporary art. Famous contemporary Chinese artists like Xu Bing, Gu Wenda, Zhang Huan, etc. are all frequently use calligraphy elements to create their works. Actually, I've always been confused that as a person whose first language is not Chinese, how do they appreciate calligraphy works? Until I came into contact with some works of the American abstract expressionist painter Franz Kline (1910-1962), such as New York, NY 1953, Crow Dancer, etc. it can be simply said that without techniques and cultural background, calligraphy is a kind of black and white Art, frame and space art. Therefore, calligraphy is not as esoteric as I thought in my mind, nor is it inaccessible to everyone. Calligraphy can show its simplest and most essential charm in other countries.

Xu Bing, Happy Chinese New Year.    

 Zhang Huan, Family Tree.

Franz Kline, New York.      

 Franz Kline, Crow Dancer.

Inspirations (2)

In China, my research direction is calligraphy, and my interest is about Chu Jian. Chu Jian appeared in the Spring and Autumn period and the Warring States period over two thousand years ago, an ancient character written on bamboo pieces. Of course, choosing it as the basis for this social practice is not only related to my interests. I also think that this type of text not only inherits the pictographic characteristics of the original text (Oracle or Bronze Inscriptions), but also lays the foundation for the development and evolution of Chinese characters today. Chu Jian's fonts are changeable, and the structure is diverse. It is easy to innovate and change it.

Chu Jian

About B16 and own thought

Based on these cognitions, I further thought that since I want to share the Chinese culture with the residents of ladywood, what can I show them differently? Relay on the information and field investigations, I pay attention On B16's Edgbaston Reservoir, this reservoir is a feature of B16. And the origin of human civilization is the river culture, so I think water plays a pivotal role in our lives. Therefore, I chose the shape of the word "水"（water）as the base image and decided to let the friends at Neighbor Night try to use this image to describe the B16 in their impression. Of course, based on Chu Jian's high plasticity, this " "Water" can be deformed and placed anywhere. Like "浴"（bath）, the character ‘water’ can be placed below and left; Like the character "酒"（wine） deforms “water” into two curves; The word "渊"（deep water） puts the word "water" in the middle.

                   “浴”

                   “浴”

                     “酒”

                       “渊”

Tutorial ideas

After discussing with the teacher, the teacher gave me a lot of opinions and asked me to refer to a project called "Daily Bread" by artist Onkar Kular, (http://www.onkarkular.com/index.php?/project/bread/) which is a project involving children. First, introduce children to the history of bread, teach them how to make bread and taste different breads from around the world. Then, the children design breads with different recipes for different uses. Finally, bake these designs out.

After referring to this, I think that to better spread the art of calligraphy, I must turn it into something ordinary in life. Therefore, I decided that the "logo" that everyone has designed can be made into food, which will also increase the fun of this event. The teacher gave me a good opinion is that food can choose "shortbread", this is a traditional Scottish biscuit. I really agree with that which on one way it is a traditional food, and it can be a represent of British culture; on the other hand, it is easy to shape some patterns.

Own practice about B16

At the same time, I also designed an example of a "logo". My design inspiration comes from the "渊" (deep water) of Chujian characters. This is a wrapped Chinese character with a character means water in the middle. It reminds me of the space b16 on the map, which is similar to this word. Edgbaston Reservoir is in the middle of B16, occupying a small seat. The outline of B16 is very similar to a bat who wants to fly. According to the data, the reservoir is surrounded by woodland and grassland，and the area supports a valuable city site for animals such as newts and bats. So, this simple logo I designed is a Chinese character with a bat shape and a "water" in the middle.

After all, I don't know much about the local culture, and I can only express a regional feature here. I believe that the local people know and feel much more about this than me, and they can design a logo with more local characteristics. This is also the original intention of my organization of this workshop. I hope that there can be sufficient collision and communication between different cultures.

Event final content

One week before the event, after the teacher discussed with the person in charge of B16 "Eat, Make, Play ", I was allowed to use the on-site oven, which ensured that my project could be carried out smoothly. And I confirmed and organized all the procedures of the event with Dem again: A workshop about making shortbread to create a hybrid between calligraphy and B16.First step is using Ancient Chinese character“水”(water) as a basic image to create individual shapes by participants. The second step is to carve their design on the made dough and bake it!

My plan had to make a small adjustment once again, because the time was only 2 hours, and there were 7 activities on site at the same time. In other words, there is a plane B, which is to select some iconic words that are closely related to the community in advance, and let residents refer to the sample to cut out shapes. Although this step lacks the step of independent design, it is also a good idea to let them feel Chinese culture when doing shortbread. After all, it only takes 2 hours.

D-day prepare

In the afternoon of December 4th, I made some shortbread of Chinese characters in advance, including Chinese ancient characters such as "爱"（love）, "和"（peace）, "人"（people）, etc. These are some beautiful words to describe the community. I hope that residents at 6pm will like these shortbreads in the form of ancient text. At the same time, in order to save time, I prepared the dough that I was going to knead on site.

Happy Neighbor Night

In order to be fully prepared to welcome the residents of B16 who came to Neighbor Nigh, we came to the Christ Church in advance, and I took the time to place my "baked examples" in advance. As the teachers introduced our projects one by one, the residents cheered, and the event has started!

On site (1)

At the beginning, everyone felt very novel and kept sighing "This is a Chinese character? " "This is so interesting!" “It’s not like Chinese characters, it’s more like a pattern.”

Soon, a resident came to me with great interest and designed his own shortbread, which is also my first shortbread today. I explained to him that this is an ancient Chinese word for water, but he explained to me while he was portraying that I didn't think it looked like a river or water, and I felt that the form was like steam, and an "X" was marked below to indicate negation, and a love was drawn on the entire picture. He said he hopes that the world can pay attention to the issue of climate warming, and also hopes that the problem of climate warming can be improved.

On site (2)

There is also an American friend who came to ladywood shortly after. She said that she did not think much when drawing these patterns. She just felt that there should be a lot of fish jumping on the water, so she designed this picture and used the extra dough to make a fish look，and hope everyone can pay more attention to environmental issues.

On site (3)

Towards the end of the event, I found that everyone seemed very reluctant to be restricted by the B16 area. Residents reflected issues such as climate warming, environmental pollution, and personal interests on the image of "水"（water）. Everyone wants to express their feelings. I originally thought that there would be no time for everyone to design the patterns themselves, but everyone seemed to have the desire to create, saving the time of designing on paper and engraving the patterns directly on the dough. A newly moved resident even thought about 3 minutes before he started engraving it.

In the end, a little girl walked in front of me and portrayed one. It is demanding for a child to have some knowledge of this place and the world. So, I did not require her anything. When I asked her what was carved, she said "Pokemon" in a small voice, and when I asked further, she didn't give any more explanation. This should be the smallest participant in my activity today.

“Episode”

I was infected by the atmosphere at that time, and I participated in the activities of other friends on the spot.

In the meantime, a resident came to me and exchanged her shortbread. She thinks that my idea is very good to make Chinese characters in this form, and she generally makes shortbread into traditional shapes, and may only make some changes in taste at most. Actually, it's really easy to make life art.

The end

The event is over. Although some of the residents' designs have nothing to do with ladywood, they are the truest reactions to their lives. I think it is also very good. They extended the questions to be answered and the ideas to be displayed beyond B16, which I did not expect. I am still very satisfied with the results of the event, and everyone is actively participating in my event. Let me have a new definition of art. Art does not have to be so great and extraordinary. Art can also be simple and ordinary. Only when art participates in life can it magnify the meaning of art.

After the event, I shared the activity of the day and my first experience of combining community and art with my roommate. She also showed great interest. Since this event is mainly based on people’s feelings and the word "水"（water）. Then I decided to invite her to also design a shortbread about "水"（water） as a small extension about this activity. She said that she would think of "fire" when she mentioned water, so she wrote a Chinese character "fire" with flowing lines of water. I told her that there is an idiom in China called "水火不��" （Water and fire cannot merge with each other），which is a metaphor for the bad relationship between people. She suddenly appeared very confused, and then deducted the two points of "fire" into two hearts, indicating Water and fire can merge with each other，which she named that people should live in harmony with each other. The energy carried in the small pattern is huge. A seemingly ordinary social activity has a different impact on participants and me.

Who says calligraphy culture can only be displayed in writing brush, Chinese ink, Chinese paper, and Yantai? Shortbread is also very acceptable. Who says art can only be presented in exhibition halls? An ordinary church is also possible.

[elizabethherzmann-blog]

Week 12

I was so excited when I read the first paragraph in chapter 10. I loved reading and finding new information out about the time period when Jesus was alive as well as right after he died. Although Jesus was a Jew the Jewish people have a different faith than Christianity due to the fact that they believe their savior has not come yet. At mass every Sunday we receive the holy eucharist, after Father blesses the body and blood of Christ. The wine and bread turn into his body and blood and he does this symbolically by reaching his hands outspread into the air. I remember clearly Father saying, “Take this all of you and eat of it for this is my body that will be given up for you.” This is my favorite part of mass and it is so historic too because it relates directly to what happened during the last supper. The book mentions that the Christians monotheism didn’t allow them to worship the rulers that ruled over the lands. This was because of the 10 commandments that Moses brought down from the mountain. The book also states that Rome was not safe for Christians, this was so true. Christians used to draw half a fish in the ground in front of them and if the person across from them drew it back then they were a friend, and if they didn’t they were an enemy. It was kind of like a secret handshake.

One thing I did not know related all the way back to the early B.C. was catacombs. I first learned about catacombs when reading The Cask of the Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe a couple years ago for my English class. Catacombs are a burial place for people’s families. What I did not know was that they were a safe place for Christians away from the Romans. Also, they were a popular place for Christian art to be found, but one thing's for sure. With all  those bodies, that is the last place I would want to make art. The Good Shepherd is an art piece that comes from a wall in the catacombs, it was seen to represent compassion. The term shepherd is still used today very often in the Christian faith. I once had a small praying animal that would talk to me, and the first thing it would say was “The lord is my shepherd, he leads me along.” It was a very comforting prayer to hear before I went to bed every night.

The churches were a beautiful part of this time period. They were decorated from head to toe with angels, disciples, and images of Jesus. Before the churches were built Christians found time to pray to God in their own homes. There were many different styles of churches that were built. My personal favorite from those listed in the book is the Hagia Sophia. It was made using the designs from a basilica such as the dome that’s in the center of the church. The Hagia Sophia was an extraordinarily complex structural building that required much thinking in advance. There were many different arches and piers that blended together so smoothly. Not only was it blended smoothly but made rather thinly. The dome of the church was made out of only a single layer of brick, and to do so, they made it more structurally sound by putting buttstressings around the windows. Even though the outside of the church is immaculate, my favorite part is the dome on the inside. The gold dome truly shines in the pictures and I cannot imagine how beautiful it is to see in person.

From the time period 450-175 B.C. from the country of Peru, located in South America there is a particular piece of art that I find most inquisitive. This piece of art is described as a border fragment made from fabric. This was made with many different colors and seemingly abstract people. The colors are still vibrant due to the fact that the dry climate preserved it. It was discovered on the Paracas Peninsula. In the border fragment there are four backbent figures that look the exact same way shape wise but color wise they differ immensely. The four characters are seen as floating, flying, dancing, as well as drowning depending on how you look at it. Along with the bigger four creatures there are four smaller ones that all do not share the same color schemes even though they are all doing the same thing. The Peruvian culture uses many bright and bold colors in their artwork. I once had a girl in my grade that was from Peru and she had many different art pieces from her home country and they all were very bright and bold. Most of the art from Peru includes many abnormal animals, insects, and humans.  

Source Links:

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/316945

https://www.flickr.com/photos/29050464@N06/24107979547/in/photostream/

[pamphletstoinspire]

The Church's Year - INSTRUCTION ON THE ELEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

At the Introit pray with the priest for brotherly love and for protection against our enemies within and without:

INTROIT God in his holy place; God, who maketh men of one mind to dwell in a house: he shall give power and strength to his people. Let God arise, and let his enemies be scattered; and let them that hate him flee from before His face. (Ps. LXVII.) Glory etc.

COLLECT Almighty, everlasting God, who, in the abundance of Thy loving kindness, dost exceed both the merits and desires of Thy suppliants; pour down upon us Thy mercy, that thou mayest forgive those things of which our conscience is afraid, and grant us those things which our prayer ventures not to ask. Through...

EPISTLE (i Cor. XV. 1-10.) Brethren, I make known unto you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you have received, and wherein you stand: by which also you are saved: if you hold fast after what manner I preached unto you, unless you have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all, which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures: and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: and that he was seen by Cephas, and after that by the eleven. Then was he seen by more than five hundred brethren at once, of whom many remain until this present, and some are fallen asleep. After that he was seen by James, then by all the apostles. And last of all, he was seen also by me, as by one born out of due time. For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God; but by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace in me hath not been void.

INSTRUCTION I. St. Paul warns the Corinthians against those who denied the Resurrection of Christ and exhorts them to persevere in the faith which they have received, and to live in accordance with the same. Learn from this to persevere firmly in the one, only saving Catholic faith, which is the same that Paul preached.

II. In this epistle to the Corinthians St. Paul gives us a beautiful example of humility. Because of the sins he had committed before his conversion, he calls himself one born out of due time, the least of the apostles, and not worthy of being called an apostle, although he had labored much in the service of Christ. He ascribes it to God's grace that he was what he was. Thus speaks the truly humble man: he sees in himself nothing but weakness, sin, and evil, and therefore despises himself and is therefore willing to be despised by others. The good which he professes or practices, he ascribes to God, to whom he refers all the honor. Endeavor, too, O Christian soul, to attain such humility. You have far more reason to do so than had St. Paul, because of the sins which you have committed since your baptism, the graces which you have abused, and the inactive, useless life you have led.

ASPIRATION Banish from me, O most loving Saviour, the spirit of pride, and grant me the necessary grace of humility. Let me realize that of myself I can do nothing, and that all my power to effect any good, comes from Thee alone who alone workest in us to will and to accomplish.

GOSPEL (Mark vii. 3I-37.) At that time, Jesus going out of the coast of Tyre, came by Sidon to the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coast of Decapolis. And they bring to him one deaf and dumb, and they besought him that he would lay his hand upon him. And taking him from the multitude apart, he put his fingers into his ears, and spitting, he touched his tongue: and looking up to heaven, he groaned, and said to him, Ephpheta, which is, Be thou opened: and immediately his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke right. And he charged them that they should tell no man; but the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal did they publish it, and so much the more did they wonder, saying: He hath done all things well: he hath made both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.

Whom may we understand by the deaf and dumb man?

Those who desire neither to hear nor to speak of things concerning salvation.

Why did Christ take the deaf and dumb man aside?

To teach us that he who wishes to live piously and be comforted, must avoid the noisy world and dangerous society, and love solitude, for there God speaks to the heart. (Osee ii. i4.)

Why did Christ forbid them to mention this miracle?

That we might learn to fly from the praise of vain and fickle men.

What do we learn from those who brought the deaf and dumb man to Jesus, and notwithstanding the prohibition, made known the miracle?

That in want and sicknesswe should kindly assist our neighbor, and not neglect to announce and praise the works of God, for God works His miracles that His goodness and omnipotence may be known and honored.

SUPPLICATION O Lord Jesus, who during Thy life on earth, didst cure the sick and the infirm, open my ears that they may listen to Thy will, and loosen my tongue that I may honor and announce Thy works. Take away from me, O most bountiful Jesus, the desire for human praise, that I may not be led to reveal my good works, and thus lose the reward of my Heavenly Father. (Matt. vi. I.) .

ON RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES

What are ceremonies?

Religious ceremonies are certain forms and usages, prescribed for divine service, for the increase of devotion, and the edification of our fellow-men; they represent externally and visibly the interior feelings of man.

Why do we make use of ceremonies in our service?

That we may serve God not only inwardly with the soul, but outwardly with the body by external devotion; that we may keep our attention fixed, increase our devotion, and edify others; that by these external things we may be raised to the contemplation of divine, inward things. (Trid. .Sess. 22.)

Are ceremonies founded on Scripture?

They are; for besides those which Christ used, as related in this day's gospel, in regard to the deaf and dumb man, He has also made use of other and different ceremonies: as, when He blessed bread and fishes; (Matt. xv. 36.) when He spread clay upon the eyes of a blind man; (John ix. 6.) when He prayed on bended knees; (Luke xxii. q.i.) when He fell upon His face to pray; (Matt. xxvi, 39.) when He breathed upon His disciples, imparting to them the Holy Ghost; (John xx. 22.) and finally, when He blessed them with uplifted hands before ascending into heaven. (Luke xxiv. 30.) Likewise in the Old Law various ceremonies were prescribed for the Jews, of which indeed in the New Law the greater number have been abolished; others, however, have been retained, and new ones added. If, therefore, the enemies of the Church contend that ceremonies are superfluous, since Christ Himself reproached the Jews for their ceremonial observances, and said: God must be adored in spirit and in truth, we may, without mentioning that Christ Himself made use of certain ceremonies, answer, that He did not find fault with their use, but only with the intention of the Jews. They observed every ceremony most scrupulously, without at the same time entertaining pious sentiments in the heart, and whilst they dared not under any circumstances omit even the least ceremony, they scrupled not to oppress and defraud their neighbor. Therefore Christ says: God must be adored in spirit and in truth, that is, in the innermost heart, and not in external appearances only. -Do not, therefore, let the objections, nor the scoffs and sneers of the enemies of our Church confound you, but seek to know the spirit and meaning of each ceremony, and impress them on your heart, and then make use of them to inflame your piety, to glorify God, and to edify your neighbor.

INSTRUCTION CONCERNING THE ABUSE OF THE TONGUE

There is no member of the body more dangerous and pernicious than the tongue. The tongue, says the Apostle St. James, is indeed a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold how small a fire kindleth a great wood. And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is placed among our members, which defileth the whole body, and inflameth the wheel of our nativity, being set on fire by hell. (James iii. 5. 6.) The tongue no man can tame: an unquiet evil, full of deadly poison. By it we bless God and the Father; and by it we curse men, who are made after the likeness of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. (ibid. iii. 8-10.) There is no country, no city, scarcely a house, in which evil tongues do not cause quarrel and strife, discord and enmity, jealousy and slander, seduction and debauchery. An impious tongue reviles God and His saints, corrupts the divine word, causes heresy and schism, makes one intemperate, unchaste, envious, and malevolent; in a word, it is according to the apostle a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue of the serpent seduced our first parents, and brought misery and death into the world. (Gen. iii.) The tongue of Judas betrayed Jesus. (Matt. xxvi. 49.) And what is the chief cause of war among princes, revolts among nations, if it is not the tongue of ambitious, restless men, who seek their fortune in war and revolution? How many, in fine, have plunged themselves into the greatest misery by means of their unguarded tongue? How can we secure ourselves against this dangerous, domestic enemy? Only by being slow to speak according to the advice of St. James, (i. 19.) to speak very few, sensible, and well-considered words. In this way we will not offend, but will become perfect. (James iii. 2.:) As this cannot happen without a special grace of God, we must according to the advice of St. Augustine beg divine assistance, in the following or similar words:

ASPIRATION O Lord, set a watch before my mouth, and a door round about my lips, that I may not fall and my tongue destroy me. (Ps. cxl. 3.)

[romancatholicreflections]

20th May >> Daily Reflections on Today’s Mass Readings for Roman Catholics on Pentecost Sunday, Cycle B. (Acts 2:1-11; I Cor 12:3b-7, 12-13; Jn 20:19-23). Fr. Antony Kadavil reflects and comments on the readings at Mass for the Pentecost Sunday. He says that Pentecost marks the end and the goal of the Easter season. It is a memorial of the day the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles and the Virgin Mary in the form of fiery tongues, an event that took place fifty days after the Resurrection of Jesus. Acts 2:1-11; I Cor 12:3b-7, 12-13; Jn 20:19-23 Homily starter anecdote: "Well, Chippie doesn’t sing much anymore.” It happened in Galveston, TX. A woman was cleaning the bottom of the cage of her parrot Chippie with the canister vacuum cleaner. She was not using an attachment on the tube. When the telephone rang, she turned her head to pick it up, continuing to vacuum the cage as she said, "Hello," into the phone. Then she heard the horrible noise of Chippie being sucked into the vacuum. Immediately she put down the phone, ripped open the vacuum bag, and found Chippie in there, stunned but still alive. Since the bird was covered with dust and dirt, she grabbed it, ran it into the bathroom, turned on the faucet, and held the bird under the water to clean it off. When she finished that, she saw the hair dryer on the bathroom sink. She turned it on and held the bird in front of the blast of hot air to dry him off. A few weeks later, a reporter from the newspaper that originally published the story went out to the house to ask the woman, "How’s Chippie doing now?" She said, “He just sort of sits and stares." Today’s Gospel tells us that it was what happened to the apostles. They all were traumatized by the arrest and crucifixion of their master and bewildered by his post-Resurrection appearances and his command to prepare for the coming of his Holy Spirit. Many of us can identify with Chippie and the apostles. Life has sucked us up, thrown cold water on us, and blown us away. Somewhere in the trauma, we have lost our song. Hence, we, too, need the daily anointing of the Holy Spirit to keep us singing songs of Christian witnessing through agápe love. Introduction: The Jewish Pentecost: Both the Jews and the Christians now celebrate Pentecost. Along with the Feast of the Passover and the Feast of Tabernacles, Pentecost was one of the major feasts of the Jews. During these three great Jewish festivals, every male Jew living within twenty miles of Jerusalem was legally bound to go to Jerusalem to participate in the feast. The word Pentecost is Greek for pentecostes which means “fiftieth.” The feast received this name because it was celebrated fifty days after the Feast of the Passover. Another name for the Jewish Pentecost is Shebuot or "The Feast of Weeks“ (the "week" of seven Sabbaths between Passover and Pentecost). It was originally a day of thanksgiving for the completion of the harvest. During Passover, the first omer (a Hebrew measure of about a bushel), of barley was offered to God. At Pentecost, two loaves of bread were offered in gratitude for the harvest. Later, the Jews added to the Feast of Pentecost the element of Yahweh’s Covenant with Noah, which took place fifty days after the great deluge. Still later, they made this feast an occasion to thank God for His Sinaitic Covenant with Moses, which occurred fifty days after the beginning of the Exodus from Egypt. The Christian Pentecost: Pentecost marks the end and the goal of the Easter season. For Christians, it is a memorial of the day the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles and the Virgin Mary in the form of fiery tongues, an event that took place fifty days after the Resurrection of Jesus. The Paschal mystery -- the Passion, the Death, the Resurrection, and the Ascension of Jesus -- culminates in the sending of the Holy Spirit by the Father (at the request of His Son), on Jesus' disciples. The feast also commemorates the official inauguration of the Christian Church by the apostolic preaching of St. Peter, which resulted in the conversion of 3000 Jews to the Christian Faith. Pentecost is, thus, the official birthday of the Church. But years ago, This Rock Magazine reported that there were 34,000 Protestant denominations which means that, on the average, more than sixty-nine new denominations had sprung up every year since the Reformation began in 1517. So whose birthday is it anyway? You could say, Pentecost is the birthday of the Church Jesus established nearly 2,000 years ago. Today’s Scripture readings remind us that Pentecost is an event of both the past and the present. The main theme of today’s readings is that the gift of the Holy Spirit is something to be shared with others. In other words, the readings remind us that the gift of the Holy Spirit moves its recipients to action and inspires them to share this gift with others. The first reading (Acts 2:1-11), taken from the Acts of the Apostles, describes in detail the miraculous transformation that took place during the first Pentecost, thus fulfilling Jesus’ promise to his apostles that they would receive “Power from on high.” There was first “a noise like a strong driving wind.” Then there were “tongues as of fire” resting on the disciples, and each of them was filled with the Holy Spirit. The first manifestation of their reception of the Holy Spirit came when the apostles burst out of doors and began to proclaim the Good News of Jesus; everyone there (regardless of their many different native languages), was able to understand them “in his own tongue.” The Jews in the crowds came from sixteen different geographical regions. The miracle of tongues on Pentecost thus reverses the confusion of tongues wrought by God at the Tower of Babel, as described in Genesis 11. Later, the Acts of the Apostles describes how the Holy Spirit empowered the early Christians to bear witness to Christ by their sharing love and strong Faith. This "anointing by the Holy Spirit” also strengthened the early Christian martyrs during the period of brutal persecution that followed. In the Refrain for the Responsorial Psalm (Ps 104), we pray, “Lord, send out Your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth,” asking God for a “fresh anointing” of the Spirit for all of us. In the second reading (I Cor 12:3-7, 12-13), St. Paul explains how the sharing of the various spiritual gifts of the Holy Spirit enriches the Church. He refers to the varieties of gifts given to the Church as coming from the same Spirit Who activates all of them in Christians for the common good. They are described as the gifts, fruits and charisms of the Spirit. They may take different forms like prophecy, teaching, administration, acts of charity, healing and speaking in tongues, and they may reside in different persons like apostles, prophets, teachers, healers and so on. Paul lists the fruits of the Spirit in his Letter to the Galatians “What the Spirit brings is … love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (5:22-23a). He continues, “Since the Spirit is our life, let us be directed by the Spirit” (5:25). Paul insists that these spiritual gifts are to be used in the present time for the benefit of others, for the common good and for the building up of the Body of Christ. In today’s Sequence, the Church repeats her payer of invitation to the Holy Spirit to come to us all now and details the effects His presence and His gifts will have on all of us, if we choose to receive them. Today’s Gospel relates how the Risen Jesus gave his apostles a foretaste of Pentecost on the evening of Easter Sunday by appearing to them and sending them to carry on the mission given him by his Heavenly Father. He then empowered them to do so by breathing upon them and saying, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” On the day of Pentecost, Jesus fulfilled his promise to send the Advocate or Paraclete. The gift of the Spirit would enable them to fulfill Jesus’ commission to preach the Gospel to all nations. Today’s Gospel passage also tells us how Jesus gave to the Apostles the power and authority to forgive sins. “Receive the Holy Spirit. For those whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven; for those whose sins you retain, they are retained.” These wonderful words, which bind together inseparably the presence of the Holy Spirit with the gift of forgiveness, are referred to directly in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. But they have a much wider meaning. Those words remind us of the Christian vocation we all have, to love and forgive as we have been loved and forgiven in the world of today, which is often fiercely judgmental and vengeful. Exegetical notes: The role of the Holy Spirit in Christian life: 1) As an indwelling God, He makes us His Living Temples (I Cor 3:16). 2) As a strengthening God, He strengthens us in our fight against temptations and in our mission of bearing witness to Christ by transparent Christian lives. 3) As a sanctifying God, He makes us holy through the Sacraments: a) Through Baptism He makes us children of God and heirs of Heaven. b) ThroughConfirmation, He makes us temples of God, warriors and defenders of the Faith. c) Through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, He enables us to be reconciled with God by pardoning our sins d) Through the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, He gives us spiritual nourishment by converting bread and wine into Jesus’ Body and Blood through Epiclesis. e) Through the Sacraments of the priesthood and matrimony, He makes the Church community holy. 4) As a teaching and guiding God, He clarifies and constantly reminds us of Christ’s teachings and guides the Magisterium of the Church to present Christ’s teachings correctly. 5) As a listening and talking God, He listens to our prayers and enables us to pray, and He speaks to us mainly through the Bible. 6) As a Giver of gifts, He pours out on us His gifts, fruits and charisms, thus enriching the Church. Action of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer and of the Church: How beautiful is the thought that the Holy Spirit lives within us! Saint Paul reminds the Corinthian community of this fact when he asks, "Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?" (I Corinthians 3:16). It is the Holy Spirit who develops our intimacy with God. "God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts crying, ‘Abba!' ('Father!’)” (Gal 4:6). "God’s love has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us" (Romans 5:5). "No one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ except by the Holy Spirit" (I Corinthians 12:3). Moreover, we know that it is the Holy Spirit Who teaches us to pray (Romans 8:26). By the power of the Spirit, we also know the Lord Jesus through his Church. Pentecost Sunday is the birthday of the Church. It is the Holy Spirit who enlivens, enlightens, guides, and sanctifies the Church. The Psalm refrain for this Sunday’s Responsorial Psalm (Ps 104) says it so well: “Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.” We know Jesus through the Sacramental Mysteries of the Church, and Holy Spirit is at the heart of the Sacramental life of the Church. Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Orders are the Sacramental Mysteries through which people receive the seal of the Holy Spirit. It would be impossible for us to receive Jesus in the Eucharist without the descent of the Holy Spirit at the Epiclesis of the Divine Liturgy. Even the forgiveness of sins comes through the Holy Spirit (John 20:21-23). The Holy Spirit both confirmed the apostles in Holy Orders as priests and empowered them to forgive sins by His power, a work which He continues today in each of our priests. Holy Spirit in the daily lives of Christians: The Spirit is that Paraclete (a Greek word that is translated as Counselor, Comforter, Helper, Encourager, or Enabler), Who quietly works in us and through us every day behind the scenes in the basic activities of our lives and the lives of the people around us. He is there in all his fullness wherever people worship and pray in the name of Jesus. When we believe and trust in Jesus we have that Faith through the Holy Spirit’s work in us, filling us with Himself and His Gifts. The Holy Spirit leads us to turn away from our sinfulness and reassures us that we are still loved in spite of our sin, and that Jesus died on a cross just for those moments when we rebel against God's way. He confronts us and urges us to take a good look at ourselves and where we are heading, to make a U-turn, to leave the old behind and try something new. He’s not afraid to challenge us and stretch us to go and do things for Christ – things we have never done before or ever imagined ourselves doing. He’s the One Who says to us, "Stop being so self-focussed. Stop looking into yourself all the time and being depressed by what you see or fool yourself into thinking that what you see in yourself is enough to get you through! Look up, look away, look to Jesus and let Him turn your around; let Him take control!" “The feast of Pentecost celebrates the unseen, immeasurable presence of God in our lives and in our Church – the ruah that animates us to do the work of the Gospel of the Risen One, the ruah that makes God’s will our will, the ruah of God living in us and transforming us so that we may bring His life and love to our broken world. God “breathes” His Spirit into our souls that we may live in His life and love; God ignites the “fire” of His Spirit within our hearts and minds that we may seek God in all things in order to realize the coming of His reign.” (Connections). The Holy Spirit, the Helper is quietly at work: in the sincere concern of a friend for our health; in the generosity of those who give us so much help; in the inner strength we discover in times of crisis; in those moments when we admit that we have been wrong; in the making of a tough choice; in the resilience of people who face one bad thing after another; in times when we have dared to love even though it was hard to do so. The Holy Spirit, the Helper, is quietly at work: in our taking on responsibilities that we once thought beyond us; in our refusing to let the greed of society take over our soul; in our giving thanks always, even though times have been hard; in our rising above past failures and putting past hurts behind us; in our finding a central core of peace in the midst of turmoil; in an adult patiently teaching a child self-esteem and self-control; in the person sitting quietly beside a hospital bed; in a parent praying for a troubled son or daughter. The Spirit calls us to repentance, to turn our lives around; He calls us to Faith and to take up our cross and follow Jesus. Whenever we look to the Holy Spirit, He is within us as our Helper, always assisting us to be what God made us to be. The Holy Spirit helps us to be truly great by becoming servants to one another. Likewise, the Spirit deepens our awareness of Jesus loving us as he lives in our lives; He gathers us around the cross of Jesus; He changes our lives, helping us to be more patient and forgiving, to seek new beginnings in our relationships with one another and to let the power of God's love have the final say over the conflicts and difficulties we get into. He is available to us every moment of every day as we face the choices between being self-centred or being the God-cantered people, the Spirit has called us to be in Christ. Life messages: 1) We need to permit the Holy Spirit to direct our lives: a) by constantly remembering and appreciating His Holy Presence within us, especially through the Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation; b) byfortifying ourselves with the help of the Holy Spirit against all types of temptations; c) by seeking the assistance of the Holy Spirit in our thoughts, words, and deeds, and in the breaking of our evil habits; d) by listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit speaking to us through the Bible and through the good counsel of others; e) by fervently praying for the gifts, fruits and charisms of the Holy Spirit; f) by renewing our lives through the anointing of the Holy Spirit; and g) by living our lives in the Holy Spirit as lives of commitment, of sacrifice, and of joy. We are called to love as Jesus loved, not counting the cost. As Saint Paul exhorts us, "Walk by the Spirit, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit" (Galatians 5:16, 25). 2) We need to cultivate the spirit of forgiveness. The feast of Pentecost offers us the chance to look at the role which forgiveness should play in our dealings with others. Thus, we are challenged to examine our sense of compassion, patience, tolerance and magnanimity. Learning to forgive is a lifelong task, but the Holy Spirit is with us to make us agents of forgiveness. If we are prepared on this day of Pentecost to receive the Holy Spirit into our lives, we can have confidence that our lives will be marked by the Spirit of forgiveness. 3) We need to observe Pentecost every day. "It will always be Pentecost in the Church," affirmed Blessed Oscar Romero, Archbishop of El Salvador, on Pentecost Sunday 1978, "provided the Church lets the beauty of the Holy Spirit shine forth from her countenance. When the Church ceases to let her strength rest on the Power from above which Christ promised her and which he gave her on that day, and when the Church leans rather on the weak forces of the power or wealth of this earth, then the Church ceases to be newsworthy. The Church will be fair to see, perennially young, attractive in every age, as long as she is faithful to the Spirit that floods her and she reflects that Spirit through her communities, through her pastors, through her very life" [The Violence of Love, (Farmington, PA: The Plough Pub. Co., 1998).] [Archbishop Oscar Romero was beatified May 23, 2015 by Pope Francis.] Archbishop Romero’s declaration reminds us -- as does today’s Gospel -- that Pentecost is not just one day, but every day. Without breath, there is no life. Without the Spirit, the Church is a field of dry, dead bones. The Venerable Fulton J. Sheen once said about the Church, "Even though we are God's chosen people, we often behave more like God's frozen people--frozen in our prayer life, frozen in the way we relate with one another, frozen in the way we celebrate our Faith." [Bishop Fulton J. Sheen was declared Venerable by Pope Benedict XVI in June, 2012.] Today is a great day to ask the Holy Spirit to rekindle in us the spirit of new life and enthusiasm, the fire of God's love. Let us repeat Blessed John Henry Cardinal Newman’s favorite little prayer, “Come Holy Spirit:” “Come Holy Spirit Make our ears to hear Make our eyes to see Make our mouths to speak Make our hearts to seek Make our hands to reach out And touch the world with your love. AMEN.” [Cardinal Newman was beatified September 19, 2010 by Pope St. John Paul II.] 4) We need to be Spirit-filled Christians: Spirit-filled people acknowledge their weaknesses, ask for the strengthening, anointing and guidance of the Holy Spirit every morning, ask for His forgiveness every evening, and pass on that forgiveness to those who sin against them. Spirit-filled people are praying people. Paul encourages us, "Pray on every occasion as the Spirit leads. For this reason keep alert and never give up; pray for all God's people" (Eph 6:18). They are praying and worshipping God in their families and parishes. They try to grow continually in their Faith, and they seek out every opportunity to discover Christ and what it means to be children of God. Spirit-filled people are people who allow the Spirit to change their lives through their daily reading of the Bible and their frequenting of the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Holy Eucharist. Spirit-filled people speak words that heal, restore, make people happy and build people up instead of tearing them down. Spirit-filled people pass on the love of God to the people living around them by their acts of kindness, mercy and charity. Hence, let us ask the Holy Spirit for a spirit of love instead of hate, a spirit of helpfulness instead of non-cooperation, a spirit of generosity instead of greed and a spirit of gentleness in place of our spirit of ruthlessness. (Fr. Antony Kadavil)

[keepingupwithfundies]

Hi, there, Catholic here! I've dealt with a lot Protestant confusion over Catholicism so I get the gist why they aren't keen on it; like somebody else said, we have saints who we pray to so that they can relay the message TO God because they once walked among us and so they understand us. The same goes for the Virgin. Of course, you can see how this could be interpreted as worshipping false idols. Then there's the whole transubstantiation thing but I'm running out of character so (Part One)

(Part Two) The Catholic Church also believes that when you eat the Host and drink the wine in church, it’s actually the Body and Blood of Christ that has been transformed through ceremony. This is something Protestants have been contesting for years because they see it as a bunch of hocus pocus and magic is a sin. Honestly, I don’t know any Catholic other than the priests who still insist that it is. Then there are the sacraments but, again, I’m running out of characters. (Part Three) In addition to baptism (do the Duggars get baptized?), we have communion (where you take the Host for the first time), confirmation (where you confirm your faith as a Catholic) and confession (one priest has called it the “Cinderella of the Sacraments” which made me think of Jana). I can do a whole other post on how they’re all done if you’re interested but these are the practices over faith for salvation thing that somebody mentioned that the Duggars aren’t keen on. (Part Four) Lastly, sorry for bombarding you, feel free to ignore if that’s the case! Purgatory. I know Protestants love to sneer at it but, like transubstantiation, the only people who still push it are the priests. This ties into the practice over faith where, if you go to confession and mass, thereby cleansing yourself of sin, you’ll spend less time “in between” and go to heaven directly after your die; It’s a tactic for attendance at church (they don’t call it Catholic guilt for nothing). 

————————————-

Hahaha thanks for the clarification of Catholicism in such a fun way!!I was raised loosely Protestant and we also have the wine/grape juice and Host thing every Friday (I went once because I had to, found it really boring and never went since). Also the Baptism and the conformation, but no communion and no confession. (Annie)

But I think the faith of the Duggars is not Protestant but Evangelical. Since I am not very knowledgeable in the different kinds of Christian faith I found a great article that tries to show the difference between the two:

Protestants are followers of Protestantism, a Christian movement that points out what they believe as errors in the beliefs and practices in the Roman Catholic Church. Along with the Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches, Protestants make up the 3 major factions of Christianity.

Protestant groups do not believe in the authority of the Pope over the church, including the Catholic belief of transubstantiation, or the changing of the bread and wine into the blood and body of Christ offered during mass. However, they themselves disagree about what Christ’s place is in the Eucharist. Various Protestant groups also believe any ordinary Christian has direct access to God through prayers. The exact meaning of this and its implications differ depending on the denomination. Protestants also believe that sins are forgiven only through faith, and not through good works. They uphold only the Bible, not traditions, as the absolute authority in faith and morals.

Protestantism originated in Germany, and began to flourish in 1517 when Martin Luther came out with Ninety-Five Theses, a reaction to the abuses surrounding the sale of indulgences which the Roman Catholic Church claimed would “forgive” the sins of anyone who bought them. There were a few groups who sought to either leave, or reform the Roman Catholic Church, but Martin Luther was the one to be able to set the movement in full motion.

The Evangelical movement is a movement within the Protestant church that believes in the good news that Christ brings, that he came to the world to redeem humanity’s sins.

Evangelicals uphold four cardinal beliefs. The first is that the Bible is absolute and without error about anything it says about God, nature, and the world. Second is that salvation is only possible by believing in Christ. One of their most popular beliefs is that a believer must claim salvation for himself, or what is commonly known as being “born again”. The fourth belief is the importance of spreading the word of God through evangelization.

Protestant vs EvangelicalSo, what’s the difference between a protestant and an evangelical?

While some Protestants believe in the absolute nature of the Bible, some look at it as a historical document containing the word of God and a great deal of important truths that should be interpreted in close relation with the times and places of those reading it. Evangelicals see the Bible as the be all and end all; everything in it is absolute truth.

Protestants believe in a gradual, spiritual transformation from a young age continuing until old age. Evangelicals place a high regard on conversion, which can be achieved through active evangelization. Protestants would rather share their doctrines in a broader sense. Evangelicals preach the good word with the hope of converting someone to their cause. Protestants also believe that there may be more ways that one to be saved. Evangelicals believe it’s only through upholding their four cardinal beliefs or being that someone can be saved.

Comparison chart

Protestants

One of 3 major groups of Christianity

One of many groups within Protestantism

Usually emphasizes spiritual transformation 

Evangelical

Usually believes in total conversion

Some may see the Bible as a historical document containing God’s words

The Bible is the absolute truth 

Source: http://theydiffer.com/difference-between-protestant-and-evangelical/

[fevie168]

Tuesday (January 22): "The Son of man is Lord of the Sabbath"

Scripture: Mark 2:23-28

23 One Sabbath he was going through the grain fields; and as they made their way his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. 24 And the Pharisees said to him, "Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?" 25 And he said to them, "Have you never read what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: 26 how he entered the house of God, when Abiathar was high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?" 27 And he said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath; 28 so the Son of man is lord even of the Sabbath."

Meditation: What does the commandment "keep holy the Sabbath" require of us? Or better yet, what is the primary intention behind this command? The religious leaders confronted Jesus on this issue. The "Sabbath rest" was meant to be a time to remember and celebrate God's goodness and the goodness of his work, both in creation and redemption. It was a day set apart for the praise of God, his work of creation, and his saving actions on our behalf. It was intended to bring everyday work to a halt and to provide needed rest and refreshment. Jesus' disciples are scolded by the scribes and Pharisees, not for plucking and eating corn from the fields, but for doing so on the Sabbath. In defending his disciples, Jesus argues from the scriptures that human need has precedence over ritual custom.

When David and his men were fleeing for their lives, they sought food from Ahimelech the priest (1 Samuel 21:1-6). The only bread he had was the holy bread offered in the Temple. None but the priests were allowed to eat it. In their hunger, David and his men ate of this bread. Jesus reminds the Pharisees that the Sabbath was given for our benefit, to refresh and renew us in living for God. It was intended for good and not for evil. Withholding mercy and kindness in response to human need was not part of God’s intention that we rest from unnecessary labor. Do you honor the Lord in the way you treat your neighbor and celebrate the Lord's Day?

"Lord Jesus, may I give you fitting honor in the way I live my life and in the way I treat my neighbor. May I honor the Lord's Day as a day holy to you. And may I always treat others with the same mercy and kindness which you have shown to me. Free me from a critical and intolerant spirit that I may always seek the good of my neighbor."

Psalm 111:1-2,5-6,9-10c

1 Praise the LORD. I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation. 2 Great are the works of the LORD, studied by all who have pleasure in them. 5 He provides food for those who fear him; he is ever mindful of his covenant. 6 He has shown his people the power of his works, in giving them the heritage of the nations. 9 He sent redemption to his people; he has commanded his covenant for ever.  Holy and awesome is his name! 10 His praise endures for ever!

Daily Quote from the early church fathers

:

The Lord of the Sabbath

, by John Chrysostom, 547-407 A.D.

   "Doubtless he speaks of himself when he mentions the 'Lord of the sabbath' (Mark 2:28, Matthew 12:8, Luke 6:5).  Mark relates a complementary saying about our common human nature, that “the sabbath was made for humans, not humans for the sabbath (Mark 2:27). Why then should someone who gathered sticks on the sabbath be censured? The law that was established earlier could not be scorned without jeopardizing the law to be given later.

   "The sabbath did confer many benefits, great blessings in the earlier dispensation. It made people more gentle toward those close to them. It guided them toward being more sympathetic. It located them temporally within God's creation and providence, as Ezekiel knew (Ezekiel 20:19-20). The sabbath trained Israel by degrees to abstain from evil and disposed them to listen to the things of the Spirit.

   "They would have stretched the law out of shape if, when he was giving the law of the sabbath, Jesus had said, 'You can work on the sabbath, but just do good works, do nothing evil.' This would have brought out the worst in them. So he restrained them from doing any works at all on the sabbath. And even this stricter prohibition did not keep them in line. But he himself, in the very act of giving the law of the sabbath, gave them a veiled sign of things to come. For by saying, 'You must do no work, except what shall be done for your life' (Exodus 12:16), he indicated that the intent of the law was to have them refrain from evil works only, not all works. Even in the temple, much went on during the sabbath, and with great diligence and double toil. Thus even by this very shadowy saying Jesus was secretly opening the truth to them. Did Christ then attempt to repeal a law so beneficial as the sabbath law? Far from it. Rather, he greatly magnified the sabbath. For with Christ came the time for everyone to be trained by a higher requirement." (excerpt from

THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, HOMILY 39.3

)

[carlymolter-blog]

Chapter 10: Early Christian and Byzantine Art

Chapter 10 starts out by talking about a new religion: Christianity. Jesus Christ died in A.D. 33 and was crucified outside Jerusalem which was then part of the Roman Empire. Christianity started in the Mediterranean world and in Rome during the first century after Christ. Christianity was founded on written texts, was monotheistic and taught a code of ethics. I thought it was interesting that there was now a founded religion and that it had a name. Christian rituals did not include animal or blood sacrifice except only for symbolic form. Jesus’ sacrifice was a symbol during the Last Supper which was the bread that stood for his body and the wine that stood for his blood.

 Christians differed from followers of the other Eastern Religions by refusing to worship the emperor as the embodiment of the state. With the rapid growth of Christianity, it had a special appeal to the lower classes of society and the fervor of the adherents. Rome was not entirely safe for Christians before A.D. 313. In A.D. 313, Constantine issued the Edict of Milan which granted acceptance for all religions, including Christianity.

 Sarcophagi is a good example of Early Christian art that can be seen on a marble sarcophagus in the Church of S. Maria Antiqua in Rome. Reading from left to right on the sarcophagus, the first character is the Old Testament Jonah, who was emerging from the whale. To the right of Jonah are Christian transformations of a Greco-Roman poet and his muse. Next is the seated poet who wears a Roman toga but is shown as a Christian reading a religious text. The muse stands with her arms raised that combines prayer and mourning visually shown in reference to Jesus’ cross. Spreading out from her palms were leafy branches from a tree which symbolized the wood that the cross was made of. There was also a Shepard that was carrying a sheep on his shoulders. This symbolized Christ being the Good Shepard. John the Baptist was the next figure on the marble. John is baptizing a small child which was Jesus Christ. Baptism represents rebirth into the Christian faith and salvation. I found this imagery to be very interesting because it’s the first kind of art displayed that was related today’s common religion. I think this imagery from left to right told a story which I thought was very interesting.

 Christians worshiped private homes until the early fourth century. Christianity was legally protected from persecution and it became the official religion of the Roman Empire. New buildings were needed due to the growing population of the Christian community. Greek and Roman temples main purpose was to house the statue of a god but Christian churches were built so that crowds, who were believers, could gather for worship. Churches were constructed quickly due to the support of Constantine. Churches were modeled on the architectural design of Roman basilica so that they were able to hold large numbers of people. I thought it was interesting how churches first were created and why. It is interesting to think that this is something that is still current today with little changes.

[thevineandfigtree-blog]

Biblical Elements in Les Miserables

     Les Miserables is a French novel written by Victor Hugo in the 1800’s which was later adapted into one of the most well known musicals of the 20th century. It is set in the heart of France during the French Revolution, where poverty flourished and government was anything but equal. There are many aspects of the novel that are parallel to Catholicism, specifically the parallel with Jesus’s teaching and what some people in the Catholic Church perceive them as

     Jean-Valjean

      There are many parallels to the protagonist of this story is Jean-Valjean, and Jesus Christ. In the story he committed crime was stealing a loaf of bread for his sister and her dying child, which he was sentenced to 19 years in prison. This is much like the unfair punishment that Jesus received when he convicted of blasphemy. After he was released on parole, he was refused adobe because he was a convicted criminal, but was shown kindness by a priest who invited him into his home. Despite his kindness, Jean-Valjean flees with the churches fine silverware but is caught as he was leaving. Instead of condemning Jean-Valjean, the priest forgives him of his sins. This is parallel to how God will always forgive us, even in our darkest moments. Jean-Valjean has a revelation about his life and decides to break parole to live his life according to God’s will. He ends up become a mayor of a town while showing love and kindness to others in the time of need, despite being a criminal on the run. At one point in the story, he helps a prostitute who is dying of illness and looks after her daughter when she died. This is much like when Jesus healed the lepers that no one else would get close to.

     Javert

    Javert is the main antagonist of the story our story, being a police general and enforcing harsh punishment to anyone who disobeyed. He devoted years of his life to finding Jean-Valjean after he broke his parole. His strong sense of justice and need for order correlates to his backstory, in which he was born inside a prison and grew up knowing his mother was a criminal. What is so strange about Javert is that he didn't do anything wrong, but he is still perceived as the villain in this story. Why is that? I think the answer to that question actually lies in the perception of evangelical Christians in our society today. Although they are living according to God’s laws, they often mistake what His law is what His grace is. What Javert fails to realize is that love and compassion goes beyond what he perceives to be justice. Toward the end of the story, Jean-Valjean has the opportunity to kill Javert and end his torment, but he shows compassion and spares his life. Unable to fathom the kindness of a criminal, Javert is driven to suicide, because he can't imagine a world where both him and Jean-Valjean existed:        “I’ll escape now from that world, From the world of Jean Valjean. There is nowhere I can turn, there is no way to go on.” This is much like how some Christians can't accept that people who don't follow all God’s laws can be Christians.

      Barricade

     One final point I want to make on this topic is what is considered the “eternal barricade” in Les Mis. This is what the interpretation of heaven is in the story. Much of the story takes place in the midst of one of the many attempts at a French Revolution. What are essentially teenagers create this huge barricade made out of chairs and tables to fend off against the soldiers. This ultimately failed, and almost everyone who partook in the revolution were slaughtered. The reason why it relates to Catholicism is because the rode to heaven is much like the barricade. We are constantly climbing to reach God’s mercy and although death seems like we never get to that point, salvation is closer than what is realized. In the final scene where Jean-Valjean passes away, he was met by the prostitute whose daughter he raised as his own, who guided him like an angel to heaven’s gates. Showing that it's not about what you are that can achieve salvation, but the love and compassion in their hearts.

[ahopkins1965]

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LIFE AFTER DEATH?

Death Is Not the End (Part Seven)

Death Is Not the End (Part Five)

The Second Death

Life Is Service (Part One)

Comfort One Another With These Words

Taking It Through the Grave

Heaven Must Wait

Resurrection AD 31

Jesus and 'the Spirits in Prison'

What Happened to the Thief on the Cross? (Part One)

Is There a Hell?

Disproving Hell

Lazarus and the Rich Man

Is Your Soul Immortal?

Trumpets and Hope

Parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man (Part One)

Was Jesus Dead?

The Resurrection From the Dead

Is Heaven the Reward of the Saved?

Whatever Happened to Gnosticism? Part Three: Satan's Three Heresies

The Sin of Partiality

by Dan Elmore

Forerunner, "Ready Answer," July 2007

Topics

Bias

Christian Unity

Church Problems

Competition

Division, Causing

Elitism

Equality

More...

Related

Respect or Respect of Persons?

What Sin Is & What Sin Does

God's Way of Give at the Feast of Tabernacles

The Weightier Matters (Part 2): Judgment

James and Unleavened Bread (Part Two)

The Church Family - Convinced and Persuaded

Mercy and Justice

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"My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality." —James 2:1

Back in the 1970s, in Norwalk, California, when I was seeking to be baptized, I was trying to quit smoking. I found that it required that I keep quitting, because I kept finding a cigarette in my hand. It was such an ingrained habit that I did it without thinking. Each time I did, I would leave the rest of the pack some place where I could not recover it.

One night during this time, my family went to the home of some friends for a barbeque. Out of habit, I lit a cigarette and took a drag. As I blew the smoke out, I overheard my mother bragging to our host that I had quit smoking. My mom had been blinded by her partiality toward me and my abilities, and I felt horrible that I had caused her shame and disappointment. Realizing this helped me to quit the disgusting habit for good.

James 2:1 broaches the topic of partiality: "My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality." The King James Version translates this virtually the same way except that instead of "partiality," it reads "respect of persons." In many ways, "respect of persons" is a plainer translation of the Greek, since that is exactly what the apostle is fighting: church members respecting some people over others.

Since we, too, are members of God's church, it is beneficial to take a closer look at this idea of partiality or respect of persons from time to time. This problem frequently rears its ugly head, causing trouble among brethren, so it is good to know what it is and how it manifests itself in a congregation.

Definitions

First, we need to make sure that we understand the full implications of partiality by reviewing some definitions of the term. Webster's Dictionary defines partial as "biased to one party; inclined to favor one party in a cause, or one side of a question, more than the other; not indifferent." A second meaning emphasizes favoring something "without reason," and a third, "affecting a part only; not general or universal; not total," implies dividing or separating things apart from the whole.

Another tool we can use to get a better grasp of a term is to see how other translations of a particular Bible verse use it. Here are several alternate translations of James 2:1:

International Standard Version: My brothers, do not practice your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ by showing partiality.

New International Version: My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism.

Good News Translation: My friends, as believers in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, you must never treat people in different ways according to their outward appearance.

James Moffatt Translation: My brothers, as you believe in our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Glory, pay no servile regard to people.

William Barclay Translation: My brothers, you cannot at one and the same time believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ and be a snob.

The New Testament in Modern English: Don't ever attempt, my brothers, to combine snobbery with faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ!

Amplified Bible: My brethren, pay no servile regard to people [show no prejudice, no partiality]. Do not [attempt to] hold [and] practice the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, [the Lord] of Glory, [together with snobbery]!

This term, rendered variously as "partiality," "favoritism," "respect of persons," "servile regard," and "snobbery" in James 2:1, is prosôpolepsía in Greek, and it is very close in meaning to the English word partiality. Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words expands on its meaning: "[It is] the fault of one who, when responsible to give judgment, has respect to the position, rank, popularity, or circumstances of men, instead of their intrinsic conditions, preferring the rich and powerful to those who are not so. . . ."

Armed with this understanding, we can explore some of the occasions when partiality occurs. For instance, parents almost always display partiality for their own children over other people's children, which is only natural, but sometimes they favor one of their own children over his or her sibling(s). This is bound to have disastrous results at some point.

People also make economic distinctions, showing a bias for one brand of car, clothing, appliance, or laundry soap. Some are partial to stocks and bonds, while others prefer to invest in land, gold, or commodities. Such preferences are usually just personal opinions due to habit, experience, advertising, or personal recommendation.

Of course, there are racial, social, religious, and political prejudices. We read or hear of such biases frequently. Many of these kinds of partialities can get one in trouble with the group in question, the law, the community, or the church, depending on how radically a person displays them. Even in supposedly free and equal societies, prejudices abound, as they are part of human nature.

Further, intellectual snobbery and elitism abound. Those who have advanced degrees too often look down their noses at those whose educational achievements were stymied by a lack of opportunity or funds or plain bad grades in school. Though it is more rare, a reverse intellectual snobbery has been known to exist among poorly educated Americans from time to time.

In the church, we often witness the "holier than thou" individual who wears his spirituality on his sleeve for all to see. He is quick to criticize others for their shortcomings, drawing away from fellowship with them for their "lack of conversion." Such a person is showing a bias toward his idea of righteousness, which, as we know, is called "self-righteousness."

There are many other kinds of partiality, and if one keeps an eye out for them, they are easy to spot. Respect of persons is part of the underside of the human condition, so it is not surprising that the Bible presents so many illustrations of it.

Biblical Examples

God provides us with dozens of examples of men and women who were partial to various people or things, and along with the examples come important lessons we can learn to avoid their mistakes. Sometimes, a right and godly favoritism is shown—particularly by God Himself—and an unrighteous, human reaction causes a great deal of trouble. Yet, more often, human partiality toward or against others opens the proverbial can of worms. A number of examples come immediately to mind.

»When God accepted Abel's offering but rejected Cain's—favor based on obedience and proper attitude—hatred, jealousy, resentment, and murderous rage resulted (see Genesis 4). This first example is one of godly favor taken badly.

»Through favoritism, Isaac (toward Esau) and Rebecca (toward Jacob) instilled a spirit of competition, strife, and resentment between the two brothers, which led to an even-now ongoing feud, more than 3,500 years later (see Genesis 25 and 27)!

»Jacob's partiality to Rachel was the source of a great deal of hostility and scheming among Jacobs's wives and concubines (see Genesis 30). This also created rivalries between their sons.

»Jacob's favoritism for Joseph made his half-brothers so jealous that they were ready to murder him (see Genesis 37). Instead, they "only" sold him into slavery, telling their father that he had been torn to pieces by a wild beast. This caused the patriarch no end of grief.

»Through his partiality as a father, Eli allowed himself to become complacent to the gross sins of his two sons (see I Samuel 2—4). This led both to calamity for Eli's house and national defeat at the hands of the Philistines.

»King David's partiality blinded his eyes to his children's evil actions, particularly Amnon's rape of his half-sister, Tamar; and Absalom's murder of Amnon and his rebellion against David himself (see II Samuel 13—18). Later, he ignored Adonijah's preparations to take over his throne, in spite of his expressed desire to have Solomon succeed him (see I Kings 1).

»In the story of Esther, Haman's prejudice almost cost the lives of all the Jews living in the Persian Empire (see Esther 3—8). Only an act of great courage and self-sacrifice saved the Jews from annihilation.

The Bible contains a host of other examples that thoroughly demonstrate the insidiousness of this potential sin. It is clear that the effects of partiality are the real problem. A person can have the best of intentions and reasons for his bias—as God's favor certainly is—but the reactions of those not in favor cause events to spin out of control. At other times, and certainly in most cases of human bias, the respect of persons is clearly wrong from the outset, and the carnal reactions of those it affects just makes matters worse.

Emulating God

In his epistle, the apostle James is combating the practice of showing favoritism toward the wealthy at the expense of poorer brethren. He asks in James 2:4, in doing so, "have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?" Here, he gets to the crux of the problem. As converted children of God, we are supposed to be able to make righteous judgments through the gift of God's Spirit. However, when we show partiality or respect of persons, we have allowed evil thoughts to compromise our judgment.

The Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary emphasizes that "the sin in question [respect of persons] is peculiarly inconsistent with His 'faith.'" Christ died for all, rich and poor alike, and His doctrine consistently stresses the spiritual equality of believers and unity in a brotherhood of believers. Thus, preferring one person over another because of wealth or status introduces an element of wickedness into Christian relations: division.

Matthew Henry agrees:

The apostle is here reproving a very corrupt practice. He shows how much mischief there is in the sin of prosôpolepsía—respect of persons, which seemed to be a very growing evil in the churches of Christ even in those early ages, and which, in these after-times, has sadly corrupted and divided Christian nations and societies.

. . . You who profess to believe the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, which the poorest Christian shall partake of equally with the rich, and to which all worldly glory is but vanity, you should not make men's outward and worldly advantages the measure of your respect. In professing the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, we should not show respect to men, so as to cloud or lessen the glory of our glorious Lord: how ever any may think of it, this is certainly a very heinous sin.

What about God's supposed favoritism for His chosen people? For many centuries, it seemed as if God was partial toward Israel in that only Israelites had an opportunity for salvation. From our perspective today, we know that He was working solely through Israel only for the time being, preparing a people for the coming of His Son in the flesh.

After Jesus' resurrection, God soon opened salvation to the Gentiles too, as related in the story of Cornelius in Acts 10. In verses 34-35 of this chapter, Peter draws a conclusion from his experiences with the vision of the animals let down in a sheet from heaven and with the conversion of the household of Cornelius: "In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality, but in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him."

In Romans 2:11, speaking of the righteous judgment of God, Paul repeats this point: "For there is no partiality with God," a truth Paul understood from the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 10:17). To the Galatians, the apostle makes the spiritual equality of Christians even more specific: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:28; see I Corinthians 12:13; Colossians 3:11).

It is clear that God is not a respecter of persons, giving everyone an equal opportunity for salvation and judging all by the same standards. And certainly, we should want to be like God, respecting every member of the church as an equal brother or sister in Christ.

English playwright George Bernard Shaw wrote, "We educate one another, and we cannot do this if half of us consider the other half not good enough to talk to." The church of God is an educational institution, and every member has a part to play in helping to build up others as they prepare for God's Kingdom. Eliminating biases and prejudices will go a long way toward bringing unity and growth to God's church.

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Respect or Respect of Persons?

[seekfirstme]

The following reflection is courtesy of Don Schwager © 2020. Don's website is located at Dailyscripture.ServantsOfTheWord.org

Meditation: What kind of darkness does Jesus warn us to avoid? It is the darkness of unbelief and rejection - not only of the Son who came into the world to save it - but rejection of the Father who offers us healing and reconciliation through his Son, Jesus Christ. In Jesus' last public discourse before his death and resurrection (according to John's Gospel), Jesus speaks of himself as the light of the world. In the Scriptures light is associated with God's truth and life. Psalm 27 exclaims, The Lord is my light and my salvation.

The light of Christ removes the darkness and reveals the goodness of God to us

Just as natural light exposes the darkness and reveals what is hidden, so God's word enables those with eyes of faith to perceive the hidden truths of God's kingdom. Our universe could not exist without light - and no living thing could be sustained without it. Just as natural light produces warmth and energy - enabling seed to sprout and living things to grow - in like manner, God's light and truth enables us to grow in the abundant life which only he can offer us. Jesus' words produce life - the very life of God - within those who receive it with faith.

To see Jesus, the Word of God who became flesh for our sake (John 1), is to see God in visible form. To hear the words of Jesus is to hear the voice of God. He is the very light of God that has power to overcome the darkness of sin, ignorance, and unbelief. God's light and truth brings healing, pardon, and transformation. This light is not only for the chosen people of Israel, but for the whole world as well. Jesus warns that if we refuse to listen to his word, if we choose to ignore it or to take it very lightly, then we choose to remain in spiritual darkness.

The Word of God has power to set us free from sin, doubt, and deception

Jesus made it clear that he did not come to condemn us, but rather to bring us abundant life and freedom from the oppression of sin, Satan, and a world in opposition to God's truth and goodness. We condemn ourselves when we reject God's word of truth, life, and wisdom. It is one thing to live in ignorance due to lack of knowledge and understanding, but another thing to disdain the very source of truth who is Christ Jesus, the Word of God sent from the Father. Jesus says that his word - which comes from the Father and which produces eternal life in us - will be our judge. Do you believe that God's word has power to set you free from sin and ignorance and to transform your life in his way of holiness?

Saint Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD) summed up our need for God's help in the following prayer he wrote: "God our Father, we find it difficult to come to you, because our knowledge of you is imperfect. In our ignorance we have imagined you to be our enemy; we have wrongly thought that you take pleasure in punishing our sins; and we have foolishly conceived you to be a tyrant over human life. But since Jesus came among us, he has shown that you are loving, and that our resentment against you was groundless."

The Holy Spirit opens our minds to understand the truth and wisdom of God's word

God does not wish to leave us in spiritual darkness - in our ignorance and unbelief. He is always ready to give his light, wisdom, and truth to all who seek him and who hunger for his word. Through the gift of the Holy Spirit he helps us to grow each and every day in faith, knowledge, and understanding of his life-giving word. Do you want to know more of God and grow in his transforming love? Look to Jesus, the Light of God, and in his truth you will find joy, freedom, and wholeness of body, mind, heart, and soul.

"Lord Jesus, in your word I find life, truth, and freedom. May I never doubt your word nor forget your commandments. Increase my love for your truth that I may embrace it fully and live according to it."

The following reflection is from One Bread, One Body courtesy of Presentation Ministries © 2020.

SEND-OFF

"Then, after they had fasted and prayed, they imposed hands on them and sent them off." —Acts 13:3

When the early Church gathered for prayer, they did something before and something after. They fasted before praying. This freed them, "releasing those bound unjustly, untying the thongs of the yoke" (Is 58:6). They were free to hear the voice of God, pray the prayer of faith, go up prayer-mountain, and move the mountains of the evil one (Mt 17:20-21). After they prayed, it was not that the people just went off; rather, they were sent off (Acts 13:3).

The assembly at prayer should be a launching pad, shooting Spirit-filled, empowered, commissioned believers into the world. Propelled by the community's prayer and fasting, we rescue people from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light (Col 1:13) and attack the gates of hell that cannot prevail against us (Mt 16:18).

The Catholic Church has traditionally emphasized fasting, praying, and sending. Before receiving Holy Communion, we are to fast for at least an hour. I recommend we fast for a significantly longer period of time. After Holy Communion, we are sent out with the final blessing. This is what the word "Mass" means: "sent." Fasting, praying, and sending launched the first missionary journey, and will certainly begin the final one.

Prayer:  Father, during this Easter time, launch me into full-time missionary work.

Promise:  "The Father Who sent Me has commanded Me what to say and how to speak." —Jn 12:49

Praise:  Thomas' jail ministry grew out of prayer at his parish.

Reference:  (For a related teaching on Secret of Fasting, order, view or download our leaflet or order, listen to, or download our CD 46-1 or DVD 46 on our website.)

Rescript:  †Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, September 24, 2020

The Nihil Obstat ("Permission to Publish") is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted the Nihil Obstat agree with the contents, opinions, or statements

[mydelightfuldonut]

How Ukrainians celebrate Christmas

You might wonder after reading the name of this post: Why is she writing about Christmas? It's over. Done. Wait till next year! Well... it's not over yet if you live in Ukraine. Surprise! In Ukraine Christmas is celebrated after New Year, on the 6th of January we have Christmas Eve and a very special Christmas dinner. On the 7th of January, we say to each other instead of regular "hello" or "good morning/afternoon"  "Jesus was born", and a traditional answer is "Glory to him!". But let me start from the very beginning. I bet you would like to know why Ukrainians celebrate Christmas after New Year and I am sure that some of you will wonder whether it's "real Christmas". So the roots of celebration on the 6th of January go back to the times of the Roman Empire and Julian calendar. Sounds cool, right? But the question is "what is this Julian calendar about?" That was a calendar proposed by Julius Caesar and obviously called after him, and was used in the Roman world, most of Europe and by European settlers in the Americas. In the 16th century, it was replaced by the Gregorian calendar (here you can read more about it https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregorian_calendar) that was more accurate and reflected more precisely the Earth's rotation around the Sun. However, in some parts of the Eastern Orthodox Church and in the parts of Oriental Orthodoxy the Julian calendar is still used which creates this 13-day difference in celebration of Christmas on the 24th of December by the most part of the world and the 6th of January in Ukraine. So that's the first big difference - the calendar, though I have to mention that due to our current President, Mr Poroshenko we got closer to the rest of the world since last year he signed a document that acknowledges the 25th of December as a Christmas day. Of course, a lot of families will continue celebrating Christmas on the 6th of January including mine since changes like that don't happen quickly. The big difference number 2. We do not exchange presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. "Poor Ukrainian children", you might think. No worries! Ukrainian children get plenty of presents (if they behaved) on St. Nicholas Day which we have on the 19th of December (unfortunately again according to that outdated Julian calendar). During the times of soviet union, we used to exchange presents on the New Year's Eve. Well, it was not an exchange, actually, if you were a kid. You were supposed to prepare a small performance: dance, sing or recite a poem in order to get our present from Ded Moroz, a guy dressed somewhat similar to Santa Clause thought his coat was not red but blue. While we were one of the 15 republics Christmas was actually banned along with any other manifestation of your religious beliefs. Any religion was proclaimed "opium of the people" and any kind of religious buildings were turned into warehouses or even trash disposals except those in big cities that could be used as museums or art galleries. So back to the celebration of Christmas in Ukraine. The big difference number 3 is our Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve. We take this dinner pretty seriously, at least in my family. It can differ depending on where in Ukraine you are, but the general idea is that you are supposed to prepare 12 Lenten dishes that symbolize 12 apostles of Jesus Christ. Why the dishes are Lenten? Because according to Orthodox church rules you are supposed to keep 40-day Lent before Christmas so that your body and soul get ready for the great event of Jesus Christ birth. So all day of the 6th of January Ukrainian women are busy cooking 12 dishes that in the evening they will put in front of their families. Some of the dishes are pretty unique. I will try to go through their list and explain to you a little bit about each of them. The first and the most important dish is kutia (koo-tia - I will try to provide some kind of transcript here). This is basically well-cooked barley mixed with raisins, crushed poppy seeds and honey. Doesn't sound too complicated but the trick is in cooking barley so that it's soft but not mushy. The importance of kutia is huge: it's the dish that you will start your dinner with after the eldest in the family says a short prayer. The origin of kutia is not very Christian, actually, you will find nothing about it in the Bible or in some other religious book. But Ukraine has a very long history and before Christianity that came to our lands in the 10th century, we had a religion that worshipped many gods, most of which were associated with this or another natural phenomenon. We used to have a god of the sun, a god of thunder, a god of harvest and so on. A lot of our Christian celebrations still have features of old times that interwove with younger traditions that resulted in a real fusion. Just like Santa Clause has more in common with old Scandinavian legends and myths rather than with St. Nicholas so does have our Christmas a lot in common with ancient rites. Other dishes on the table include varenyky (that's a kind of dumplings, Ukrainian ones are bigger than Chinese though) with fried sour kraut or potato, Lenten borshch (red beetroot soup with lots of other vegetables served with sour cream), beans or green peas puree, cabbage rolls (cabbage leaves stuffed with rice and meat if it's not Lent time) stewed in tomato sauce, some kind of fried fish, marinated herring, mushroom sauce, baked or boiled potatoes, uzvar (ooz-var - a drink made out of dried fruit), yeast rolls, stewed sour kraut with onions. Of course, in every family the set of dishes can slightly differ, for example, my mom makes amazingly tasty pancakes stuffed with poppy seeds. Kutia can also slightly differ depending on where in Ukraine you are, but it will definitely be on the table. There are many more traditions related to Christmas on a bigger scale. I will name just a few here not to bore you too much. So before the family gathers around the table on the Christmas Eve, children are usually given a task to look for the first star in the night sky which we call the Star of Bethlehem, the one that heralded the birth of Jesus Christ, because the dinner should start after the start sparkles in the sky. Then the master of the house should go to the barn and feed all the animals there (if a family runs a homestead). Father of the family then brings a didukh (dee-dooh - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Didukh) a special Christmas decoration made out of wheat straw that symbolizes prosperity and abundance. After the dinner is over not all the meals are taken away from the table. In my family, we always leave some kutia on the table for our deceased family members will come for Christmas dinner at night. The next day we usually have a festive family breakfast during which a lot of meat dishes are served. During all the 7th of January we eat, talk, host family and friends and in the evening we expect carol singers. Carol singing is a very good business for children during the Christmas holidays because people give them money and sweets for singing carols. Usually, kids go to their neighbors and relatives but since Ukraine is a pretty safe country in small towns and villages children go to as many houses as they can. Of course, the most profitable audience is your own grandparents )) I was lucky to visit my father's mother who lived in a village where half the village were our relatives. So we were rehearsing with my cousins all day long and in the evening was our "hour of triumph". In many families, it is traditional to visit godparents on the 7th of January. You are not supposed to come empty-handed and the most traditional thing to bring is kalach (a round-shaped shortbread sometimes with raisins or poppy seeds). Bread is of great significance in Ukraine whether you give it to somebody or somebody gives it to you. It always means prosperity and abundance. That's why we are very careful with bread and try not to have any leftovers or throw it away. Of course, there are a lot more things I would like to tell you about Christmas traditions in Ukraine. But they say that eloquence is the sister of talent. I will pretend that it somehow refers to my writing ))) Have a great time of the day

[ge-anne]

Curiosity, Encounter & Transformation

Ge-Anne Bolhuis

Calhoun, GA

I was singing worship songs at the piano last Tuesday night when the text came. It had been a rough day and though I had been invited to a local women’s worship gathering, I had decided to spend time alone in worship -- something I had been practicing more faithfully since walking with my congregation at Nellie Peters United Methodist Church. It was Sean’s wife, (or Pastor Sean as he’s known in our household.) asking me if I was coming. I playfully snapped a picture of the song I was working on and responded that I was worshipping solo tonight. She responded “Wish I were there” followed by “very rough day” and I stopped playing. Something was wrong. I was in the middle of typing a response to ask what she meant when her next text came through: “Have you talked to Sean?”

Then, I knew.

Before March 18, 2018, my limited exposure to the people called Methodists had been as a child when I was taken to Christ United Methodist Church by our retired neighbors who were my sitters from infancy until they moved away when I was 7. They took me with them to choir practice, to clean the church, to Sunday School, to Vacation Bible School, and to whatever else they attended. I can still recall the fascination I felt watching them partake in Holy Communion and the surprise and wonder when they invited me to join along. I had never seen anyone allow a child to do that before. Then, one Sunday, while they both sang in the sanctuary choir, I stood next to “Mama Cap”, Mrs. Caplinger, who held the hymnal down to my level and patiently moved her finger along with the words. My eyes lit up when I saw her trace her finger back to the second verse after the chorus and track along, teaching me to follow each stanza. A few snippets still linger in my mind of the pastor gathering the children around the altar for the children’s sermon which was always taught with some kind of tangible prompt to help us remember the main topic. And, then of course, the classic children’s song, “Zaccheus Was a Wee Little Man”.

And at this point, my mind flashes back to Pastor Sean. For this was his last sermon. Literally his last sermon...though we weren’t to know this…

March 18, 2018 saw me without a church home. I had been helping with music at a local Baptist church, but the pastor had just resigned and I stopped in at Nellie Peters United Methodist for only one reason: For years I had driven by this small, rock church and noticed only a handful of cars on Sunday and had pondered at the name. Who was Nellie Peters and why would someone name a church after her? So, having nowhere else to be this Sunday, my only aim was to “endure” a Methodist service to satisfy my curiosity. 

Instead, I met Tricia. 

I doubt that many people forget the moment they meet Tricia, because she’s warm, effervescent and has a wickedly sharp sense of humor, but she really outdid herself this day. As I introduced myself to her and the 2-3 other people who called Nellie Peters home that Sunday, she blurted out, “What an awful Sunday for you to pick to visit! My husband is the pastor and he’s in prison!” Quickly followed by a huge gulp of air and a rush of words: “Doing Kairos prison ministry, I mean. He’s not in prison! He’s doing ministry AT the prison!” Laughing, I knew I’d made a friend. (But I sure didn’t think I would be back.)

I sat through the guest speaker’s message that day and I am embarrassed to say that I don’t remember her name. I don’t remember who played piano or anything else about the visit, but I did remember Tricia and thought that maybe I should go back one more time and meet the pastor, so the next week I did.

My daughter, who was 9 years old at the time, went with me. This was highly unusual because she has been diagnosed as having Autism Spectrum Disorder. New experiences can be scary for her and I was pretty nervous about bringing her into such a solemn, traditional service because she’d never experienced anything like it. I wasn’t sure when to stand, sit, respond or read myself yet. But, right away, Nika walked to the table at the front of the sanctuary that had been named as the “grace space” and prepared for children to color and listen during the service. She made herself at home and quickly set about coloring in one of the Bible-themed books while we moved through the service. Sean preached and pretended not to notice her rattling around with the markers and making a bold, black check mark after each item in the bulletin was completed. On some level, she had engaged the entire service. Later, on the ride home, for the first time in her life, she would relate to me the topic of the sermon and a short summary. . .something I didn’t even know she was capable of doing. She paused for a long moment and then said, “Mommy, this is our new church.”

And so it was. The next week, Nika made it her mission to learn everyone’s name and she asked me what to call Sean. After trying on a few monikers, she settled on “Pastor Sean” and it’s stuck. Sean *is* a pastor in every sense of the word. He moves throughout our church and the larger community engaging with others in prayer, worship, and conversations. He’s an encourager and his generosity is widespread, but nearly always done in secret or without fanfare. Sean has mentored, guided, encouraged and strengthened so many of us in the Body of Christ both intentionally and by his example. 

Since that visit, Nellie Peters HAS been “our church” and has become our extended family. More than that, it has become a place where we have seen the Lord work in each others lives, prayed for one another, cried with and for one another, and supported one another. 

Four weeks ago, our church started a study about the Holy Spirit on Wednesday evenings -- the first Bible study we’ve done since I started attending. What a precious time it’s been to get to know the members of our congregation on a deeper level, to pray with them, to share our hearts and to be able to ask one another: “How is it with your soul?” 

My own spiritual growth during this time under Sean’s leadership has surprised me. Though I have served in church regularly since becoming a Christian, my role has been mainly in terms of music or children’s ministry. I come from a denominational background where chances for women to serve are limited. Sean has helped me explore scripture, and introduced me to authors who have been instrumental in teaching me the theology of the Wesleyan faith to fully understand the WHY of the Methodist faith and movement. Last year, after attending the Wesleyan Covenant Association Global Gathering in Marietta, GA I knew that God would have me serve Him in ministry. This spring, I found the seminary program that will allow me to grow into that ministry as I move toward closing out my career as an educator.

Our congregation came together last Saturday to host a simulcast of the 2019 Wesleyan Covenant Association’s Global Gathering at a local community church. We greeted UMC brothers and sisters from all over the region and from our neighboring state of Tennessee and had a sweet day of fellowship, culminating in the sacrament of Holy Communion. I remember thinking, “How Beautiful is the Body of Christ” as we sang, “Let us Break Bread Together” a capella before heading our separate ways.

We left the Global Gathering recharged and challenged. Reminded to be theologians--for all Christians should long to study and know the mind of God. To seek the Holy Spirit in boldness for this would soon be required.

And how prophetic those words were.

Sean didn’t contact me, but others in our congregation did. It seems Sue Haupert-Johnson deemed Sean suddenly unworthy to shepherd our flock and he was dismissed on Tuesday by by our District Superintendent. 

I don’t understand. Our church is growing. Our people are maturing spiritually. We are literally hungering for a closer walk with God! 

So, we are left without a pastor. How can I explain to my daughter that her beloved Pastor Sean was dismissed? How can she even understand that? How does our most long standing member face the potential loss of his church of 74 years as we hear that “200 local churches” are targeted for closure by the North GA conference?

And so, brothers and sisters, we ask for your prayers as we face this loss of our pastor and during this time of uncertainty in the United Methodist Church. Please pray that the Holy Spirit will lead us in the discovery and in the practice of using our spiritual gifts. Pray that we will be able to continue to meet and grow as a congregation and pray for those who have worked against us.