https://www.crossway.org/articles/4-reasons-for-hope-in-suffering/
attribution: Tito and Eva Marie Balangue and flickr
creative commons 2.0. attribution: dackelprincess, flickr.
Thursday, January 2, 2025
Saturday, December 28, 2024
God knows all
God's knowledge is infinite. The collective knowledge of human beings is infinitely small when compared to the infinite knowledge of God.
That's where faith comes in. Like the father of the prodigal son, your holy and perfect Creator loves you unceasingly, wants you to love Him and your neighbor in return, and to be sorry for your sins.
We can get a small glimpse of God's perfect attributes through His holy word.
"Be still and know that I am God". (Psalm 46:11, NABRE)
attribution: altonwoods and flickr
Friday, December 27, 2024
Wednesday, December 25, 2024
birth of Jesus
The Birth of Jesus
12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.”
14 *“Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
The Visit of the Shepherds
16 So they went in haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger.
1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole world should be enrolled.
2 This was the first enrollment, when Quirinius was governor of Syria.
3 So all went to be enrolled, each to his own town.
4 And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David,
5 to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.
6 While they were there, the time came for her to have her child,
7 and she gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
8 Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields and keeping the night watch over their flock.
8 Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields and keeping the night watch over their flock.
9 The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were struck with great fear.
10 The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
11 For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord.
12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.”
13 And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying:
14 *“Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
The Visit of the Shepherds
15 When the angels went away from them to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go, then, to Bethlehem to see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.”
16 So they went in haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger.
17 When they saw this, they made known the message that had been told them about this child.
18 All who heard it were amazed by what had been told them by the shepherds.
19 And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.
20 Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told to them.
Luke 2: 1-20
* [2:14] On earth peace to those on whom his favor rests: the peace that results from the Christ event is for those whom God has favored with his grace. This reading is found in the oldest representatives of the Western and Alexandrian text traditions and is the preferred one; the Byzantine text tradition, on the other hand, reads: “on earth peace, good will toward men.” The peace of which Luke’s gospel speaks (Lk 2:14; 7:50; 8:48; 10:5–6; 19:38, 42; 24:36) is more than the absence of war of the pax Augusta; it also includes the security and well-being characteristic of peace in the Old Testament.
attribution: Tito and Eva Marie Balangue and flickr
Thursday, December 19, 2024
grace
"See to it that no one be deprived of the Grace of God..." Hebrews 12:15
"God gives grace to those who hunger for His word that they may understand His will and have the strength to live according to it. Do you hunger for God's word?"
MEDITATION
"Do you know the love that conquers every fear, sin, and selfish desire? God renews His love for us each and every day. His love has the power to free us from every form of evil – selfishness, greed, anger, hatred, jealously and envy.
“What’s the distinctive feature of Jesus' life and the life of those transformed by His redeeming love?
“IT'S GRACE – treating others, not as they deserve, but as God wishes them to be treated – with loving-kindness and mercy. Jesus is God's Grace incarnate. His love is unconditional and is wholly directed towards our good. God is good to all, the just and the unjust. His love embraces saint and sinner alike.
“That's why Jesus willingly went to the cross for our sake, to free us from the power of sin, ignorance, and prejudice. God's Grace sets us free from everything that would keep us from Him and His love.
“How can we possibly love as God loves and overcome evil with good?
“With God all things are possible. He gives Grace in abundance through the gift of the Holy Spirit, who converts our hearts and minds and teaches us how to live according to God’s truth and love.
“God assures us of His Grace and help to follow in His ways."
PRAYER
"Heaven Father, You are merciful, gracious and kind. May we never doubt Your love nor hesitate to seek You with confidence in order to obtain the gifts, graces, and daily provision we need to live as Your beloved sons and daughters and disciples of Jesus Christ our Savior."
"God gives grace to those who hunger for His word that they may understand His will and have the strength to live according to it. Do you hunger for God's word?"
MEDITATION
"Do you know the love that conquers every fear, sin, and selfish desire? God renews His love for us each and every day. His love has the power to free us from every form of evil – selfishness, greed, anger, hatred, jealously and envy.
“What’s the distinctive feature of Jesus' life and the life of those transformed by His redeeming love?
“IT'S GRACE – treating others, not as they deserve, but as God wishes them to be treated – with loving-kindness and mercy. Jesus is God's Grace incarnate. His love is unconditional and is wholly directed towards our good. God is good to all, the just and the unjust. His love embraces saint and sinner alike.
“That's why Jesus willingly went to the cross for our sake, to free us from the power of sin, ignorance, and prejudice. God's Grace sets us free from everything that would keep us from Him and His love.
“How can we possibly love as God loves and overcome evil with good?
“With God all things are possible. He gives Grace in abundance through the gift of the Holy Spirit, who converts our hearts and minds and teaches us how to live according to God’s truth and love.
“God assures us of His Grace and help to follow in His ways."
PRAYER
"Heaven Father, You are merciful, gracious and kind. May we never doubt Your love nor hesitate to seek You with confidence in order to obtain the gifts, graces, and daily provision we need to live as Your beloved sons and daughters and disciples of Jesus Christ our Savior."
Monday, December 16, 2024
Advent Reflection for December 15 – Sunday of the Third Week of Advent Readings: Zep 3:14-18a; Is 12:2-3, 4, 5-6; Phil 4:4-7, Luke 3:10-18
Advent Reflection for December 15 – Sunday of the Third Week of Advent
Readings: Zep 3:14-18a; Is 12:2-3, 4, 5-6; Phil 4:4-7, Luke 3:10-18
Readings: Zep 3:14-18a; Is 12:2-3, 4, 5-6; Phil 4:4-7, Luke 3:10-18
Invitation to Prayer: There is no better use of our mind and will, of our imagination, memory, and affections, and even our bodies, than prayer.
Reflection: In this week’s gospel, we encounter John the Baptist who is preparing the way for the coming of the Messiah. John’s bold preaching resonates with the Advent themes of preparation and anticipation. The crowds come to him seeking guidance, asking, “What should we do?” John urges those who have much to give to those who have little, and those in positions of power to use their authority justly. These are not abstract suggestions, but concrete, everyday actions that reflect a turning away from selfishness and a turning toward justice, compassion, and love.
John’s message also underlines the radical nature of the salvation that Christ brings. When the people ask if he is the Messiah, John humbly acknowledges that he is not, but points to the one who is coming after him. He speaks of the Messiah’s powerful presence, describing how Jesus will “baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire”. This prophetic image invites us to reflect on the transformative power of Christ who equips us with the grace to live as faithful disciples.
In the context of Advent, this passage invites us to ask ourselves: How are we preparing the way for Christ in our lives? Are we ready to open our hearts to the transformation He offers, or are we holding on to patterns of sin, selfishness, and complacency?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for the people you have put into our lives that have helped make yourself known to us. Let us be willing messengers in proclaiming Your coming to those around us.
Closing: John the Baptist’s message is as relevant today as it was in his time. He calls us to live with integrity, to care for those in need, and to make room in our lives for the transformative presence of Christ. As we journey through Advent, let us reflect on the ways in which we can make our hearts ready for the Lord and embrace the joy and peace that His coming brings.
Sean Ferguson is a Development Officer with the Stewardship Department for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. He and his wife Liz have been married for 3 years and live in Independence, KY. They met through campus ministry at the University of Dayton.
Sean Ferguson is a Development Officer with the Stewardship Department for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. He and his wife Liz have been married for 3 years and live in Independence, KY. They met through campus ministry at the University of Dayton.
attribution: Thomas Hawk and flickr
Thursday, December 12, 2024
hope
In a room there were four candles burning. The ambiance was so soft you could hear them talking.
The first one said, “I am PEACE; however, nobody can keep me lit. I believe I will go out.” The Peace candle’s flame rapidly diminished and went out completely.
The second candle said, “I am FAITH. Most of all, I am no longer indispensable, so it does not make any sense that I stay lit any longer.” When it finished talking, a breeze softly blew on it and put it out.
Sadly, the third candle spoke in its turn. “I am LOVE. I just don’t have the strength to stay lit. People put me aside and don’t understand my importance. They even forget to love those who are nearest to them.” Waiting no longer, its flame goes out as well.
Just then a child entered the room and saw that three of the candles were not burning. The child said, “Why are they not burning? They are supposed to stay lit till the end.” Saying this the child began to cry.
Then the fourth candle said, “Don’t be sad and afraid; while I am still burning. we can re-light the other candles. I am HOPE!”
With shining eyes, the child took the candle with Hope’s flame and lit the other candles.
The flame of HOPE should never go out. Let us strive to maintain the glow of PEACE, FAITH, LOVE and HOPE in our lives.
- Author Unknown
attribution: Alex Harden and flickr
Wednesday, December 11, 2024
Advent Reflection for December 10– Tuesday of the Second Week of Advent Readings: Isaiah 40: 1 – 11; PS 96: 1 – 2, 2 and 10ac, 11 – 12, 13; Matthew 18: 12 – 14
Invitation to Prayer: “Because the Lord is my shepherd, I have everything I need.”
Reflection: I have always been awed by the book of Isaiah, written centuries before the birth of Christ. As a teen, I recognized the connection between Isaiah and the Gospels, but I was left speechless when I realized how extensive the time lapse was between Isaiah’s prophecies and the birth of Jesus. In today’s readings, we encounter reference to the Good Shepherd in the text of both Isaiah and Matthew, once again emphasizing the fulfillment of the Word in Jesus Christ.
Isaiah proclaims, “Like a shepherd he feeds his flock; in his arms he gathers the lambs, carrying them in his bosom, and leading the ewes with care.” Being a shepherd in ancient times was a noble and humble profession. A “good shepherd” took the time to tend to the sheep rather than watching them from afar. There was a sense of relationship with the flock, and the wellbeing of every lamb was paramount. A “good shepherd” would never forsake a single sheep. This sense of intimacy and care parallels the role that Christ plays in our lives.
Jesus, the Good Shepherd, is there with us through our celebrations, challenges, and wounds. When we turn to Him, he tends to us with loving compassion. When we run from Him (as Matthew states), “will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills and go in search of the stray?” Christ is constantly reaching out to each and every one of us, and it is through our own free will that we choose to receive his sanctifying grace.
As humans with limited capacity for love, we often forsake one another and sometimes ourselves. Perhaps we simply lose patience with a family member, or maybe we write someone off as a lost cause, but in Christ, there are no lost causes. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, seeks out every lost sheep. During this Advent season, as we take time to quiet ourselves and connect with Christ, let us take pause to strive for the perfect love of the Good Shepherd- an unconditional love that does not forsake God’s creation.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are the Good Shepherd, who tenderly cares for each of us, never forsaking a single soul. We are in awe of Your boundless love, which reaches out to us in all our joys and struggles. Help us to recognize Your presence in our lives, and to open our hearts to receive Your grace. As we journey through this Advent season, teach us to love as You love—unconditionally and without end. May we seek out the lost and show the compassion You offer to all. Thank You for always tending to us with care and mercy. Amen.
Closing: Who in my life have I forsaken? Have I ever forsaken myself? What can I do this Advent Season to open my heart to the abundant love of Christ?
Noelle Collis-DeVito is the English Curriculum Research Assistant for the Institute for Pastoral Initiatives at the University of Dayton. She just completed her Master’s Degree in Pastoral Ministry with a Certificate in Disability and Ministry and is excited to put her skills to use in her work creating curriculum for adult faith formation and adaptive resources for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She serves on the Council on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities for the National Catholic Partnership on Disability and is on the Board for the Respect Life Fund for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. She also serves as the advisor for Flyers for Life at the University of Dayton.
attribution: jaci XIII and flickr
Monday, December 9, 2024
the LORD's prayer
FATHER in Heaven,
YOU alone are the HOLY ONE.
YOUR kingdom come,
YOUR will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Thank YOU for giving us food
for our bodies and for our souls.
Please forgive our sins,
as YOU forgive sins of others.
Please help us to avoid temptation,
and please deliver us from evil.
For YOURS is the kingdom
and the power and the glory
forever and ever.
Amen
attribution: Carl Bloch, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Sunday, December 8, 2024
Advent Reflection for Sunday, December 8 – The Second Sunday of Advent Readings: Baruch 5:1-9; Psalm 126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6, Philippians 1:4-6, 8-11, Luke 3:1-6
Advent Reflection for Sunday, December 8 – The Second Sunday of Advent
Readings: Baruch 5:1-9; Psalm 126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6, Philippians 1:4-6, 8-11, Luke 3:1-6
Invitation to Prayer: Come, God of peace. prepare our troubled and burdened hearts to receive you more this day.
Reflection: Advent often flies by for me. Four weeks doesn’t seem like a lot of time to “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.” Mary carried Jesus in the womb for nine months, literally allowing herself to be transformed from the inside out for the coming of Christ. Yet we condense that time to an intentional and intense four weeks of preparation. Last week we reflected on Hope that only comes from God, this week, we focus on the Peace that only comes from God.
I love this first sentence we hear from God today to prepare us for His peace, “Jerusalem, take off your robe of mourning and misery; put on the splendor of glory from God forever.” Our world is so broken right now. We live in constant stress and fear that life can often seem miserable. But that is not the story God wants to tell us. God’s story is not one of misery and woe, rather it is one of victory and peace.
As a child, one of my chores was pulling the weeds in the flowerbed in front of our home, and I hated it! It was the worst thing in the world for my adolescent self because it took forever and was so boring. Yet, in the weeding of the flowerbed, the path to our home looked inviting to my friends and family. People felt welcomed and invited to a beautiful and peaceful space. Today, my life can be quite chaotic. I keep a full schedule and hold high expectations to perform to the best of my ability. Because of that, I can get bogged down in the stresses of life and feel anxious and worried about many things. Today, I’m reminded in these readings to slow down and prepare the flowerbed of my heart for the coming of Christ. I must intentionally make time to pull the weeds from my heart that make me anxious and worried so that the flowers of peace may rest there instead.
Today, as we sit with these readings, my hope and prayer for you is the same as St. Paul’s for the Philippians, “That your love may increase ever more and more in knowledge and every kind of perception, to discern what is of value, so that you may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.”
Prayer: Come Holy Spirit, help us to slow down and weed our hearts of all the things that rob the peace you have bestowed on us.
Closing: “And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7
Alex Bodenschatz served as a NET Missionary from 2018-2020 and now works with NET as the Easter Regional Recruiter.
https://www.thecatholictelegraph.com/advent-reflections-2024
attribution: Jose Antonio Catalio
Saturday, December 7, 2024
Advent Reflection for December 6 – Friday of the First Week of Advent
Advent Reflection for December 6 – Friday of the First Week of Advent
Readings: Isaiah 29:17-24, PS 27:1, 4, 13-14, Matthew 9:27-31
Readings: Isaiah 29:17-24, PS 27:1, 4, 13-14, Matthew 9:27-31
Invitation to Prayer: Dearest Father, please fill my shoes with feet that desire to walk humbly in Your way and act in love on the concerns of my brothers and sisters.
Reflection: No matter the weather outside, the prophet Isaiah is passing along a forecast for God that one fine day is coming, especially for people who are deaf, blind, lowly and poor. In the Gospel of Matthew, two men who are blind are gaining their sight, thanks to Jesus’ intervention. And in some homes this morning, children found small gifts in their shoes if families are celebrating the generosity of St. Nicholas.
Sounds like a good day ahead. Except for one thing. In both passages someone had to first note the existence of people who are deaf, blind, lowly and/or poor and understand how those conditions impact their dignity, livelihoods and their family members. Someone has to do something about it. Jesus did. That’s what brings about the happy anticipation and the rejoicing ahead for that fine day.
As followers of Jesus, we are called to see what is going on around us, to pay attention to how people are faring. It doesn’t appear that Scripture is giving us a pass on our responsibility for people in harm’s way by simply acknowledging people are in bad straits. No, we have to do something. We are called to act on Jesus’ behalf – be his hands and feet on earth as St. Teresa of Avila urges us.
We have a lovely tradition of filling children’s shoes with sweets in honor of St. Nicholas, but we may have forgotten that the origin of that tradition lies in a social justice ill that called for some intervention.
As the story goes, St. Nicholas understood what was required of him when he learned that three girls were going to be forced into prostitution. (We call it sex trafficking today.) He is said to have dropped off three bags of gold to give them dowries. He applied his faith to change their lives.
For any of us who received some treat in our shoes, we would do well to remember that we walk in the footsteps of saints and we are to show our love of God and neighbors by listening and doing something when we hear the cry of people who are poor, lowly, deaf and blind, because that’s what followers of Jesus do. They pull on their shoes and go respond as Jesus would.
Prayer: Jesus, give me the courage and vision to act when I hear the cry of the poor, to open my hands and move my feet in a direction that loves my neighbor.
Closing: This day draw closer to your neighbor and act in a way that opens their eyes to see the love of Jesus working through you.
Pam Long is the chair of the Social Action Commission for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati and the Director of Love in Action for the St. Stephen Family of Parishes in Hamilton, Ohio. She and her husband Bob celebrated 50 years of marriage in October. They gave birth to three children and are grateful for three grandchildren.
attribution: Nick Thompson and flickr
Thursday, December 5, 2024
circles of life
this is God and me when I was conceived:
after I was born I met my Mom & Dad & sister:
after I was born I met my Mom & Dad & sister:
as I grew, my circle expanded--relatives, friends, younger brother and sisters:
as I progressed in school, teachers, classmates, neighborhood friends:
college, wife, job, daughter, Army:
son, two more daughters, career, coworkers, clients, friends, grandchildren:
labeled for noncommercial reuse
retirement:
death:
labeled for noncommercial reuse
faith
hope
love
Tuesday, December 3, 2024
1 John 4: 7-21
7 Beloved, let us love one another, because love is of God; everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God.
8 Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love.
9 In this way the love of God was revealed to us: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might have life through him.
10 In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as expiation for our sins.
11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also must love one another.
12 No one has ever seen God. Yet, if we love one another, God remains in us, and his love is brought to perfection in us.
13 This is how we know that we remain in him and he in us, that he has given us of his Spirit.
14 Moreover, we have seen and testify that the Father sent his Son as savior of the world.
15 Whoever acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God remains in him and he in God.
8 Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love.
9 In this way the love of God was revealed to us: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might have life through him.
10 In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as expiation for our sins.
11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also must love one another.
12 No one has ever seen God. Yet, if we love one another, God remains in us, and his love is brought to perfection in us.
13 This is how we know that we remain in him and he in us, that he has given us of his Spirit.
14 Moreover, we have seen and testify that the Father sent his Son as savior of the world.
15 Whoever acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God remains in him and he in God.
16 We have come to know and to believe in the love God has for us. God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him.
17 In this is love brought to perfection among us, that we have confidence on the day of judgment because as he is, so are we in this world.
18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment, and so one who fears is not yet perfect in love.
19 We love because he first loved us.
20 If anyone says, “I love God,” but hates his brother, he is a liar; for whoever does not love a brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.
21 This is the commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.
17 In this is love brought to perfection among us, that we have confidence on the day of judgment because as he is, so are we in this world.
18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment, and so one who fears is not yet perfect in love.
19 We love because he first loved us.
20 If anyone says, “I love God,” but hates his brother, he is a liar; for whoever does not love a brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.
21 This is the commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.
It's not God's love that's a mystery. It's our lack of faith that's a mystery. When we look at our lives, we see God's providence and love. We realize that we would not live for another moment if it were not for God's love.
- Do we love our neighbor?
- Do we "testify that the Father sent his Son as savior of the world"?
- Have we "come to know and to believe in the love God has for us"?
- Do we "have confidence on the day of judgment because as he is, so are we in this world"?
- Are we afraid?
- Do we love because "he first loved us"?
- Do we love our brother because God has commanded us to do so?
Let us pray that our faith is strong because God is love.
attribution: Tito and Eva Marie Balangue
Saturday, November 30, 2024
God's sovereignty
attribution (not legally required): Ilya Repin, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Then the LORD answered Job out of the storm and said:
Gird up your loins now, like a man.
I will question you, and you tell me the answers!
Would you refuse to acknowledge my right?
Would you condemn me that you may be justified?
Have you an arm like that of God,
or can you thunder with a voice like his?
Adorn yourself with grandeur and majesty,
and clothe yourself with glory and splendor.
Let loose the fury of your wrath;
look at everyone who is proud and bring them down.
Look at everyone who is proud, and humble them.
Tear down the wicked in their place,
bury them in the dust together;
in the hidden world imprison them.
Then will I too praise you,
for your own right hand can save you.
Look at Behemoth, whom I made along with you,
who feeds on grass like an ox.
See the strength in his loins,
the power in the sinews of his belly.
He carries his tail like a cedar;
the sinews of his thighs are like cables.
His bones are like tubes of bronze;
his limbs are like iron rods.
He is the first of God’s ways,
only his maker can approach him with a sword.
For the mountains bring him produce,
and all wild animals make sport there.
Under lotus trees he lies,
in coverts of the reedy swamp.
The lotus trees cover him with their shade;
all about him are the poplars in the wadi.
If the river grows violent, he is not disturbed;
he is tranquil though the Jordan surges about his mouth.
Who can capture him by his eyes,
or pierce his nose with a trap?
Can you lead Leviathan about with a hook,
or tie down his tongue with a rope?
Can you put a ring into his nose,
or pierce through his cheek with a gaff?
Will he then plead with you, time after time,
or address you with tender words?
Will he make a covenant with you
that you may have him as a slave forever?
Can you play with him, as with a bird?
Can you tie him up for your little girls?
Will the traders bargain for him?
Will the merchants divide him up?
Can you fill his hide with barbs,
or his head with fish spears?
Once you but lay a hand upon him,
no need to recall any other conflict!
Job 40
Whoever might vainly hope to do so
need only see him to be overthrown.
need only see him to be overthrown.
No one is fierce enough to arouse him;
who then dares stand before me?
Whoever has assailed me, I will pay back—
Everything under the heavens is mine.
I need hardly mention his limbs,
his strength, and the fitness of his equipment.
Who can strip off his outer garment,
or penetrate his double armor?
Who can force open the doors of his face,
close to his terrible teeth?
Rows of scales are on his back,
tightly sealed together;
They are fitted so close to each other
that no air can come between them;
So joined to one another
that they hold fast and cannot be parted.
When he sneezes, light flashes forth;
his eyes are like the eyelids of the dawn.
Out of his mouth go forth torches;
sparks of fire leap forth.
From his nostrils comes smoke
as from a seething pot or bowl.
His breath sets coals afire;
a flame comes from his mouth.
Strength abides in his neck,
and power leaps before him.
The folds of his flesh stick together,
it is cast over him and immovable.
His heart is cast as hard as stone;
cast as the lower millstone.
When he rises up, the gods are afraid;
when he crashes down, they fall back.
Should a sword reach him, it will not avail;
nor will spear, dart, or javelin.
He regards iron as chaff,
and bronze as rotten wood.
No arrow will put him to flight;
slingstones used against him are but straw.
Clubs he regards as straw;
he laughs at the crash of the spear.
Under him are sharp pottery fragments,
spreading a threshing sledge upon the mire.
He makes the depths boil like a pot;
he makes the sea like a perfume bottle.
Behind him he leaves a shining path;
you would think the deep had white hair.
Upon the earth there is none like him,
he was made fearless.
He looks over all who are haughty,
he is king over all proud beasts.
Job 41
sermon on the mount: "So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect."
In the “Sermon on the Mount” (Matthew, CHAPTER 5 | USCCB) the theme of righteousness is prominent, and even at this early stage of the ministry the note of opposition is struck between Jesus and the Pharisees, who are designated as “the hypocrites” (Mt 6:2, 5, 16). The righteousness of his disciples must surpass that of the scribes and Pharisees; otherwise, in spite of their alleged following of Jesus, they will not enter into the kingdom of heaven (Mt 5:20). Righteousness means doing the will of the heavenly Father (Mt 7:21), and his will is proclaimed in a manner that is startling to all who have identified it with the law of Moses. The antitheses of the Sermon (Mt 5:21–48) both accept (Mt 5:21–30, 43–48) and reject (Mt 5:31–42) elements of that law, and in the former case the understanding of the law’s demands is deepened and extended. The antitheses are the best commentary on the meaning of Jesus’ claim that he has come not to abolish but to fulfill the law (Mt 5:17). What is meant by fulfillment of the law is not the demand to keep it exactly as it stood before the coming of Jesus, but rather his bringing the law to be a lasting expression of the will of God, and in that fulfillment there is much that will pass away. Should this appear contradictory to his saying that “until heaven and earth pass away” not even the smallest part of the law will pass (Mt 5:18), that time of fulfillment is not the dissolution of the universe but the coming of the new age, which will occur with Jesus’ death and resurrection. While righteousness in the new age will continue to mean conduct that is in accordance with the law, it will be conduct in accordance with the law as expounded and interpreted by Jesus (cf. Mt 28:20, “…all that I have commanded you”).
"Be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect." Matthew 5:48
Jesus teaches his followers to pray to the Father to "forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us" and "Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6: 5-15).
attribution: James Tissot, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Friday, November 29, 2024
matthew 14: 22-33
Then he made the disciples get into the boat and precede him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds.
After doing so, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When it was evening he was there alone. Meanwhile the boat, already a few miles offshore, was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it. During the fourth watch of the night, he came toward them, walking on the sea. When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified. “It is a ghost,” they said, and they cried out in fear. At once [Jesus] spoke to them, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” Peter said to him in reply, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw how [strong] the wind was he became frightened; and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” After they got into the boat, the wind died down. Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying, “Truly, you are the Son of God.”
After doing so, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When it was evening he was there alone. Meanwhile the boat, already a few miles offshore, was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it. During the fourth watch of the night, he came toward them, walking on the sea. When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified. “It is a ghost,” they said, and they cried out in fear. At once [Jesus] spoke to them, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” Peter said to him in reply, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw how [strong] the wind was he became frightened; and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” After they got into the boat, the wind died down. Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying, “Truly, you are the Son of God.”
matthew 14: 22-33
sometimes at night my nightmares make me feel like I'm in a small boat on stormy seas. does God love me? I don't love me. I'm not worthy of God's love. my soul is damaged by my many sins. why would God love me? it's difficult for me to believe, particularly at night when it's dark and I'm alone with my sinfulness, that God loves me. when I calm myself down, I realize that, despite my unworthiness, God does love me. I know that God loves me because the bible, God's word, tells me so.
Thursday, November 28, 2024
bible study
The New Testament is not chronological. I have found that studying the New Testament chronologically can be helpful.
- Read the gospel of Luke and Acts of the Apostles first, including the introductions.
- Read Paul's epistles next in chronological order.
- then go back and read Mark, Matthew, John and the rest of the New Testament.
- "The Book of Revelation or Book of the Apocalypse is the final book of the New Testament (and therefore the final book of the Christian Bible). ... Revelation was written in the 60s, as there was a widespread belief in later decades that Nero would return.[18][5] source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Revelation
| 36 | (31–36 AD: conversion of Paul) |
|---|---|
| 37 | |
| 38 | |
| 39 | |
| 40 | |
| 41 | |
| 42 | |
| 43 | |
| 44 | |
| 45 | |
| 46 | |
| 47 | |
| 48 | Epistle to the Galatians |
| 49 | |
| 50 | First Epistle to the Thessalonians |
| 51 | Second Epistle to the Thessalonians |
| 52 | |
| 53 | |
| 54 | First Epistle to the Corinthians |
| 55 | Second Epistle to the Corinthians |
| 56 | |
| 57 | Epistle to the Romans |
| 58 | |
| 59 | |
| 60 | |
| 61 | |
| 62 | Epistle to the Philippians |
| Epistle to Philemon | |
| Epistle to the Colossians | |
| Epistle to the Ephesians | |
| 63 | |
| 64 | First Epistle to Timothy |
| 65 | Second Epistle to Timothy |
| 66 | Epistle to Titus |
| 67 | (64–67 AD: death of Paul) |
Apostle Paul's public ministry to the Gentiles spanned more than three decades. He wrote thirteen epistles that for two decades were the only writings available on christianity.
- Which epistle came first and where was Paul when he wrote it?
- Which one was last and where was it written?
- How was the last epistle different from the first one and all of the others in between?
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