Saturday, August 31, 2019

Connor Long

I love Connor Long. He's a lover and a fighter. For you facebook users, you can follow Connor's amazing story and photographs by searching "Connor Crushes Cancer" in FB.

As I read the August 27 (2019) post and viewed the photographs, "fortitude" came to mind. Connor and his family are the most courageous people that I know.

Connor Long

PS Jenny and I have known Connor's grandparents since the 1980s. Please pray for Connor and his family.












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                      hope 
                                  love







Wednesday, August 28, 2019

“Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me; still, not my will but yours be done.” Luke 22: 42

Then going out he went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. When he arrived at the place he said to them, “Pray that you may not undergo the test.” After withdrawing about a stone’s throw from them and kneeling, he prayed, saying, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me; still, not my will but yours be done.” And to strengthen him an angel from heaven appeared to him. He was in such agony and he prayed so fervently that his sweat became like drops of blood falling on the ground. When he rose from prayer and returned to his disciples, he found them sleeping from grief. He said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not undergo the test.” 
luke 22: 39-46 


image by Lawrence OP
labeled for noncommercial reuse

“Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me; still, not my will but yours be done.”

why would God our Father will the agonizing, humiliating, and excruciating torture and death of His sinless Son?

Jesus is rejected, betrayed, unlawfully accused, unlawfully arrested, unlawfully charged, unlawfully tried, unlawfully convicted, unlawfully sentenced to death, is mercilessly tortured, and dies nailed to a cross. the sinless Son of God takes the just punishment for our sins on Himself so that we can enter the kingdom of God.

why would God our Father will the torture and death of His sinless Son?
answer: because God our Father loves us.

mind-numbing, isn't it?












           faith 
                      hope 
                                  love







Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time (pt. 3)

Gospel   LK 13:22-30
Jesus passed through towns and villages,
teaching as he went and making his way to Jerusalem.
Someone asked him,
"Lord, will only a few people be saved?"
He answered them,
"Strive to enter through the narrow gate,
for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter
but will not be strong enough.
After the master of the house has arisen and locked the door,
then will you stand outside knocking and saying,
'Lord, open the door for us.'
He will say to you in reply,
'I do not know where you are from.
And you will say,
'We ate and drank in your company and you taught in our streets.'
Then he will say to you,
'I do not know where you are from.
Depart from me, all you evildoers!'
And there will be wailing and grinding of teeth
when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
and all the prophets in the kingdom of God
and you yourselves cast out.
And people will come from the east and the west
and from the north and the south
and will recline at table in the kingdom of God.
For behold, some are last who will be first,
and some are first who will be last."



image by Lawrence OP
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           faith 
                      hope 
                                  love










Monday, August 26, 2019

Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time (pt. 2)

Reading 2   HEB 12:5-7, 11-13
Brothers and sisters,
You have forgotten the exhortation addressed to you as children:
"My son, do not disdain the discipline of the Lord
or lose heart when reproved by him;
for whom the Lord loves, he disciplines;
he scourges every son he acknowledges."
Endure your trials as "discipline";
God treats you as sons.
For what "son" is there whom his father does not discipline?
At the time,
all discipline seems a cause not for joy but for pain,
yet later it brings the peaceful fruit of righteousness
to those who are trained by it.

So strengthen your drooping hands and your weak knees.
Make straight paths for your feet,
that what is lame may not be disjointed but healed.

Alleluia   JN 14:6

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the way, the truth and the life, says the Lord;
no one comes to the Father, except through me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. 
http://usccb.org/bible/readings/082519.cfm 



image by Kahunapule Michael Johnson
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           faith 
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                                  love







Sunday, August 25, 2019

Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time

August 25, 2019

Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 123

Reading 1   IS 66:18-21
Thus says the LORD:
I know their works and their thoughts,
and I come to gather nations of every language;
they shall come and see my glory.
I will set a sign among them;
from them I will send fugitives to the nations:
to Tarshish, Put and Lud, Mosoch, Tubal and Javan,
to the distant coastlands
that have never heard of my fame, or seen my glory;
and they shall proclaim my glory among the nations.
They shall bring all your brothers and sisters from all the nations
as an offering to the LORD,
on horses and in chariots, in carts, upon mules and dromedaries,
to Jerusalem, my holy mountain, says the LORD,
just as the Israelites bring their offering
to the house of the LORD in clean vessels.
Some of these I will take as priests and Levites, says the LORD.


Responsorial Psalm   
PS 117:1, 2
R.(Mk 16:15) Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Praise the LORD all you nations;
glorify him, all you peoples!
R. Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.
or:
R. Alleluia.
For steadfast is his kindness toward us,
and the fidelity of the LORD endures forever.
R. Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.
or:
R. Alleluia. 


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                                  love







Saturday, August 24, 2019

worship & praise

You Are In Control (Vineyard Music) - YouTube 













           faith 
                      hope 
                                  love







Thursday, August 22, 2019

theological virtues: faith, hope and love

theological virtues:
  • Faith is the infused virtue, by which the intellect, by a movement of the will, assents to the supernatural truths of Revelation, not on the motive of intrinsic evidence, but on the sole ground of the infallible authority of God revealing. The First Vatican Council stated that "faith is a supernatural virtue by which we with the inspiration and assistance of God's grace, believe those things to be true which He has revealed...although the assent of faith is in no sense blind, yet no one can assent to the Gospel teaching in the way necessary for salvation without the illumination of the Holy Spirit..." It is a gratuitous gift of God.
  • Hope is defined as a Divinely infused virtue, acts upon the will, by which one trusts, with confidence grounded on the Divine assistance, to attain life everlasting. Its opposite is the sin of despair.
  • Charity is a divinely infused virtue, inclining the human will to cherish God for his own sake above all things, and man for the sake of God. To love God is to wish Him all honour and glory and every good, and to endeavour, as far as one can, to obtain it for Him. John 14:23 notes a unique feature of reciprocity which makes charity a veritable friendship of man with God. "Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him." Lack of love may give place to hatred, wrath or indifference. 
Theological virtues - Wikipedia 

*******************************************************

Now someone approached him and said, “Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?” 

He answered him, “Why do you ask me about the good? There is only One who is good. If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” 

He asked him, “Which ones?” 

And Jesus replied, “‘You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; honor your father and your mother’; and ‘you shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” 

The young man said to him, “All of these I have observed. What do I still lack?” 

Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to [the] poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 

When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad, for he had many possessions. 

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Amen, I say to you, it will be hard for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. 

Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” 

When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and said, “Who then can be saved?” 

Jesus looked at them and said, “For human beings this is impossible, but for God all things are possible.” 

Then Peter said to him in reply, “We have given up everything and followed you. What will there be for us?” 

Jesus said to them, “Amen, I say to you that you who have followed me, in the new age, when the Son of Man is seated on his throne of glory, will yourselves sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more, and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first." 
Matthew 19: 16-30

*******************************************************

If I speak in human and angelic tongues but do not have love, I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal. And if I have the gift of prophecy and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge; if I have all faith so as to move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away everything I own, and if I hand my body over so that I may boast but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, [love] is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails. If there are prophecies, they will be brought to nothing; if tongues, they will cease; if knowledge, it will be brought to nothing. For we know partially and we prophesy partially, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I used to talk as a child, think as a child, reason as a child; when I became a man, I put aside childish things. At present we see indistinctly, as in a mirror, but then face to face. At present I know partially; then I shall know fully, as I am fully known. So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
 

1 Corinthians 13 


image by Sharon Tate Soberon
labeled for noncommercial reuse













           faith 
                      hope 
                                  love








Saturday, August 17, 2019

lessons from the bible

there are many lessons in the bible.
how we should be and how we shouldn't be.
what we should do and what we shouldn't do.

Edgeurged [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)]
labeled for noncommercial reuse

for me, perhaps the greatest lessons in the bible are those that Jesus gave to us in parables, particularly these three:
  • in the parable of the prodigal son (luke 15: 11-32), the son sins grievously. when he returns to the father, his father orders his servants, "Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast, because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found."
  • in the parable of the good samaritan (luke 10: 25-37), the man who fell victim to robbers is left beaten and half-dead. (sometimes, we are "beaten and half dead", not by the actions and/or failures of others, but by our own failures and sinful actions.) the good samaritan "was moved with compassion" and showed the man mercy, as if he was the samaritan's own son.
  • in the parable of the lost sheep (luke 15: 1-7), the lost sheep strays from the flock--like we do sometimes. the shepherd leaves his flock (99 sheep) and searches for the one sheep that strayed. when he finds the lost sheep, the shepherd calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them, "Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep." [Jesus further says:] "I tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance."

what love God has for His sinful children! 













           faith 
                      hope 
                                  love








Monday, August 12, 2019

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth.

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful 
and kindle in them the fire of your love. 
Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. 
And You shall renew the face of the earth. 

O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, 
did instruct the hearts of the faithful, 
grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise, 
and ever enjoy His consolations. 
Through Christ Our Lord, 
Amen.

image by Sharon Tate Soberon
labeled for noncommercial reuse















           faith 
                      hope 
                                  love






Sunday, August 11, 2019

luke 24: 1-12, Jesus rises

But at daybreak on the first day of the week they took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb; but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were puzzling over this, behold, two men in dazzling garments appeared to them. They were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground. They said to them, “Why do you seek the living one among the dead? He is not here, but he has been raised. Remember what he said to you while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners and be crucified, and rise on the third day.” And they remembered his words. Then they returned from the tomb and announced all these things to the eleven and to all the others. The women were Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James; the others who accompanied them also told this to the apostles, but their story seemed like nonsense and they did not believe them. But Peter got up and ran to the tomb, bent down, and saw the burial cloths alone; then he went home amazed at what had happened. 
luke 24: 1-12 


Paolo Veronese [Public domain]



"By Your spirit I will rise
From the ashes of defeat
The resurrected king
Is resurrecting me
In your name I come alive
To declare Your victory
The resurrected king
Is resurrecting me" 

Elevation Worship songs, lyrics, bio, videos - Positive & Encouraging K-LOVE 













           faith 
                      hope 
                                  love









Sunday, August 4, 2019

luke 15: 1-7, parable of the lost sheep

The tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to him, but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” So to them he addressed this parable. “What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it? And when he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders with great joy and, upon his arrival home, he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance. 
luke 15: 1-7

Jean Baptiste de Champaigne [Public domain]


we've always had a cat. 
at least it seems that way.
you see, Jenny has had a cat since as long as she can remember.
I've only had a cat for as long as we've been married--52+ years.

there have been a few times when we haven't had a cat.
most of those times have been relatively recent--when our cat died.
those times are hard.
each time, we got rid of our cat carrier, feeding/watering bowls, cat bed, cat toys, etc.--only to buy them all again later when we got a new cat.

we got our last cat when we were living in south carolina.
mocha was special. he was a rescue.
Jenny volunteered at a no-kill shelter in bluffton.
a couple visiting the area brought mocha to the shelter when they rescued him.
they found him in a wildlife preserve where there were many alligators.
the vet said that mocha was there probably a week or more after he was abandoned.
a previous owner had mocha's front claws removed.
the vet said that he didn't know how mocha survived his ordeal.

mocha wouldn't come out of his carrier when we first brought him home.
but, when he finally did come out, mocha knew that he had been rescued.
mocha knew immediately that Jenny cared for him and loved him.
he never showed any signs of his wildlife preserve ordeal after that. 
mocha was a great joy to us--including Jenny's mom who was living with us.
it was hard when mocha died.

after several years we adopted Nicholas, our current cat.
Nicholas was a rescue too, but we don't know his story.
Jenny cares for and loves nicholas--just like she did with mocha.
but unlike mocha, nicholas still needs rescuing. 
there are times when he's afraid, seemingly unsure that he's OK now.

nicholas and I have a lot in common.
some of us still need rescuing even though we know that God, and others, love us.













           faith 
                      hope 
                                  love





Saturday, August 3, 2019

speaking for God?

All you who are thirsty,
come to the water!
You who have no money,
come, buy grain and eat;
Come, buy grain without money,
wine and milk without cost!

Why spend your money for what is not bread;
your wages for what does not satisfy?
Only listen to me, and you shall eat well,
you shall delight in rich fare.

Pay attention and come to me;
listen, that you may have life.
I will make with you an everlasting covenant,
the steadfast loyalty promised to David.

As I made him a witness to peoples,
a leader and commander of peoples,
So shall you summon a nation you knew not,
and a nation that knew you not shall run to you,
Because of the LORD, your God,
the Holy One of Israel, who has glorified you.

Seek the LORD while he may be found,
call upon him while he is near.

Let the wicked forsake their way,
and sinners their thoughts;
Let them turn to the LORD to find mercy;
to our God, who is generous in forgiving.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
nor are your ways my ways—oracle of the LORD.

For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways,

my thoughts higher than your thoughts.

Yet just as from the heavens
the rain and snow come down
And do not return there
till they have watered the earth,
making it fertile and fruitful,
Giving seed to the one who sows
and bread to the one who eats,

So shall my word be
that goes forth from my mouth;
It shall not return to me empty,
but shall do what pleases me,
achieving the end for which I sent it.


Yes, in joy you shall go forth,
in peace you shall be brought home;
Mountains and hills shall break out in song before you,
all trees of the field shall clap their hands.


In place of the thornbush, the cypress shall grow,
instead of nettles, the myrtle.
This shall be to the LORD’s renown,
as an everlasting sign that shall not fail.
 
Isaiah 55 


why do religion's "professionals" presume to speak for God? arrogance?
God's Word should be the test. 
God speaks to each individual through His Word and each individual's soul.
it is inappropriate for any religious professional to speak for God. 
religious "professionals" should not "embellish" God's Word.
religious "professionals" should not "pontificate" their thoughts on what God thinks.
religious "professionals" should not "interpret" God's Word for others, unless it's "one-on-one" with another believer who asks for their help in interpreting God's Word. even then, the religious "professional" should stick to God's Word and refrain from injecting their personal "interpretations" into God's Word.
God's Word, and only God's Word, should speak for God.



image by Zach Stern
labeled for noncommercial reuse


it would be better during religious services to have ten minutes of quiet reflection on the Word of God rather than ten minutes of a religious "professional" speaking for God. however, that won't work, because routinely people who should know better violate the sanctity of our sanctuaries for quiet prayer and worship by talking during religious services. may God have mercy on us all.










           faith 
                      hope 
                                  love





Thursday, August 1, 2019

the kingdom of heaven is like...

Jesus proclaimed the kingdom of heaven. 
21 Bible verses about Kingdom Of Heaven 

“[Jesus said] It will be as when a man who was going on a journey called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one—to each according to his ability. Then he went away. Immediately the one who received five talents went and traded with them, and made another five. Likewise, the one who received two made another two. But the man who received one went off and dug a hole in the ground and buried his master’s money. After a long time the master of those servants came back and settled accounts with them. The one who had received five talents came forward bringing the additional five. He said, ‘Master, you gave me five talents. See, I have made five more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master’s joy.’ [Then] the one who had received two talents also came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two talents. See, I have made two more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master’s joy.’ Then the one who had received the one talent came forward and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a demanding person, harvesting where you did not plant and gathering where you did not scatter; so out of fear I went off and buried your talent in the ground. Here it is back.’ His master said to him in reply, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I did not plant and gather where I did not scatter? Should you not then have put my money in the bank so that I could have got it back with interest on my return? Now then! Take the talent from him and give it to the one with ten. For to everyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And throw this useless servant into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’ 
matthew  25: 14-30


Willem de Poorter [Public domain]



Martin Luther was an Augustinian priest. I went to an Augustinian college. how could Martin Luther say that using our "talents" to do good isn't necessary to enter the kingdom of heaven?






           faith 
                      hope 
                                  love