Change
Sermon on the Mount
06/08/09 04:20
“Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven.” (Matthew 5: 1-12)
Given what has happened in the past year and a half, you may wonder if God is punishing you. Like the Jews of Christ day, you might feel as if your misfortunes are a sign of God’s disfavor.
But, in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus turned that thinking on its head. He said, God loves you no matter what.
The Sermon on the Mount is a message of hope in which the Lord urges us to remain positive in our outlook. Read More...
Given what has happened in the past year and a half, you may wonder if God is punishing you. Like the Jews of Christ day, you might feel as if your misfortunes are a sign of God’s disfavor.
But, in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus turned that thinking on its head. He said, God loves you no matter what.
The Sermon on the Mount is a message of hope in which the Lord urges us to remain positive in our outlook. Read More...
Comments
Let Not Your Hearts Be Troubled
05/12/09 06:17
“. . . Peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto you. . .” (John 14: 27-31)
In today's Gospel, Jesus prepares His disciples for the changes to come. He tells His disciples that it is for the best that He leave them and go to the Father so that they may continue to grow in their faith. The apostles are troubled by this news because they have been basking in the warmth of His presence. They've been growing like hot house plants, but that's not where they were meant to grow spiritually; sooner or later, they had to leave their comfort zone and go out into the field. Read More...
In today's Gospel, Jesus prepares His disciples for the changes to come. He tells His disciples that it is for the best that He leave them and go to the Father so that they may continue to grow in their faith. The apostles are troubled by this news because they have been basking in the warmth of His presence. They've been growing like hot house plants, but that's not where they were meant to grow spiritually; sooner or later, they had to leave their comfort zone and go out into the field. Read More...
The Risk of Being Born Again
04/20/09 10:04
“Except one be born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3: 1-8)
When you change yourself, your circumstances change for the better. The change begins from within.
What was true for Nicodemus is true for us. Our private life of prayer and our public life must be in accord. Once we claim to be friends of Jesus, we must change ourselves; otherwise, our prayers become empty phrases, mere prattling.
Read More...
When you change yourself, your circumstances change for the better. The change begins from within.
What was true for Nicodemus is true for us. Our private life of prayer and our public life must be in accord. Once we claim to be friends of Jesus, we must change ourselves; otherwise, our prayers become empty phrases, mere prattling.
Read More...
Washing the Apostle's Feet
04/09/09 06:27
“Then he poureth water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.” (John 13: 1-15)
The washing of the feet has become an integral part of the Holy Thursday observance, a reminder that we are all called to follow in the footsteps of Jesus and help those who cross our path in life. It is one of many public rituals in which we mark the passage of time and celebrate important public events. As important as those traditions are, they occur infrequently and life’s journey is a daily struggle. Especially in times of great change, we need daily rituals to maintain a sense of control and normalcy.
Change is disorienting, destabilizing and at times scary. The only people who like change are busy cashiers and babies in wet diapers. But, like it or not, change happens. In hindsight, it is often the stimulus for great personal growth. But getting through those difficult transitions can take great faith and hope. That’s where daily rituals play an important role in times of change.
Read More...
The washing of the feet has become an integral part of the Holy Thursday observance, a reminder that we are all called to follow in the footsteps of Jesus and help those who cross our path in life. It is one of many public rituals in which we mark the passage of time and celebrate important public events. As important as those traditions are, they occur infrequently and life’s journey is a daily struggle. Especially in times of great change, we need daily rituals to maintain a sense of control and normalcy.
Change is disorienting, destabilizing and at times scary. The only people who like change are busy cashiers and babies in wet diapers. But, like it or not, change happens. In hindsight, it is often the stimulus for great personal growth. But getting through those difficult transitions can take great faith and hope. That’s where daily rituals play an important role in times of change.
Read More...
Jesus is Transfigured
03/08/09 08:27
“ . . .he was transfigured before them; and his garments became glistering, exceeding white, so as no fuller on earth can whiten them.” (Mark 9: 2-10)
The transfiguration was a life-changing experience for the three apostles. Jesus was transfigured but they were transformed. Witnessing Jesus in all His glory was such a powerful event that it is described in detail in all three synoptic Gospels.
We all have had life-changing experiences such as marriage, the birth of a child, buying a home, changing jobs. But those events were preceded by a period of transition that prepared us for what was to come. Read More...
The transfiguration was a life-changing experience for the three apostles. Jesus was transfigured but they were transformed. Witnessing Jesus in all His glory was such a powerful event that it is described in detail in all three synoptic Gospels.
We all have had life-changing experiences such as marriage, the birth of a child, buying a home, changing jobs. But those events were preceded by a period of transition that prepared us for what was to come. Read More...
The Shepherds Adore Jesus
01/01/09 05:31
“Mary kept all these sayings, pondering them in her heart.” (Luke 2: 16-21)
This is the time of the year when we form our resolutions and set new goals for ourselves. But, it is next to impossible to take on something new without first making room for it in our busy lives. We have to decide what we’re prepared to let go of in order to make the most of the coming year.
On the spiritual plane, one of the things that can bog us down and prevent us from making real progress is a spiritual hangover. Read More...
This is the time of the year when we form our resolutions and set new goals for ourselves. But, it is next to impossible to take on something new without first making room for it in our busy lives. We have to decide what we’re prepared to let go of in order to make the most of the coming year.
On the spiritual plane, one of the things that can bog us down and prevent us from making real progress is a spiritual hangover. Read More...