27 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.” ~ Luke 6: 27
Love needs not the blinded zeal of a follower who demonstrates excessive enthusiasm, unreasoning fervour, or wild and extravagant notions of our God. Rather the Lord came to us as a sheep amongst the wolves and through His undying love freed us from our sins without the lofty words that put others down while raising Himself up, no Jesus saved through the love of humility alone. Jesus realized that there were fanatics in every religion, there are people so filled with blinded zeal for the God they choose to serve that instead they fail to emulate peace they become dangerous as they grab for power. So, today my brothers and sisters I argue that instead of allowing ourselves to become blinded by the rules of our religion instead we need to become freed by our faith placing all confidence in our Lord and Savour in every situation for the rest of our lives filling our hearts and minds with the quiet resolve of our own salvation granted to us through the mercy of our God. I argue we should not become so zealous for God that we ignore and otherwise become callous to others who may believe in something different, rather we need to always remain humble within our hearts and constantly ask ourselves, “How would Jesus handle this?” , thus seeking the guidance of our God in everything and in everyone. For this is what the fanatics have forgotten as their faith is a bitter one as they choose to believe in a God of their own design, as they live in a moral Delima where faith, love, and compassion have become the shell they hide in and where their own humility and obedience to God is simply not enough. So they seek the absoluteness, the black and white rules that are written in some book which outlines their religious order, like a lawyer they prosecute anyone who does not conform to these man-made rules instead of allowing the grace of God to shine through. The fanatics are very much like a Cameleon portraying themselves as something they are truly not, and in this portrayal they thrive on the collection of things and vanity which seemingly grants them power.
THE FINGER POINTERS
1 “Do you indeed speak righteousness, O’ congregation? Do you judge uprightly, O’ you sons of men. 2 You, in your heart you work wickedness; you weigh the violence of your hands in the earth.” ~ Psalm 58: 1-2
Yes, God is real! Yes, God is the most powerful being in the universe! Yes, God is absolute righteousness, and Yes, God is in love with imperfect humanity! God’s love is so great that our hearts could never contain the entire breath of His perfection and most perfect love. But what we can do is accept the gifts given from the Holy Spirit and spread the word that God would have you spread, ignoring your own message, ignoring the temptation that would want that message from God. For I tell you, my brothers and sisters, God’s message is completely and utterly simple; love one another, treat each other with respect and love, be tolerant in all things, give to your brothers and sisters what they need whether or not you know them or not. God wants harmony, love, mercy, and obedience which is how we supercharge our lives. In this none of the elements in the message of God is there any room for judgmental believers, there is no room for finger pointers who are unrighteous judges. For who are you to judge, who are you to call someone a name, who are you to stand in objection as a false witness? For I tell you not everyone will stay in the place where you claim to find God, not everyone will worship God in the same way but yet God still accepts them as He does your system of worship. Not everyone is open to religious persecution nor should anyone in the days we now live should have to conform to the rules of men who dictates the rules of that religion. For man is imperfect, we are all lost, trapped upon a huge ark as sinners and we are all equally taking every wave that sin can throw at us! Again, there is no room to be greedy or zealous in our faith. There is no reason to try and tout how holy we are in our own faith, for again my brothers and sisters God despises those who boast, for in this boasting is hidden the original sin; that of pride. For it was pride which brought down the greatest of all angels named Lucifer, (The Morning Star).
EGO vs HUMILITY
8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. 9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. ~ Isaiah 55:8-9
According to Sigmund Freud who created the modern psychoanalytic personality theory which gave us the understanding through the three facets of human development listed as, The Id, Ego, and Super Ego. Within this understanding, Freud explains the Super Ego as, “developing last, and is based on morals and judgments about right and wrong. Even though the superego and the ego may reach the same decision about something, the superego’s reason for that decision is more based on moral values, while the ego’s decision is based more on what others will think or what the consequences of an action could be.” In this idea, we find God’s will for us within the values and morals the Bible teaches and to keep in check the Ego and Super Ego God introduced Humility. For I tell you my brothers and sisters humility cares not what others think, humility allows us to be calm in the face of hostility, humility allows us to exhibit restraint from the boastfulness of both the ego and superego. I say this because your belief in something greater than man’s will is God’s will, for His thoughts are so far above ours which forces us to think deeply, to contemplate, to humble ourselves in the communion of the soul with our God as we connect in the struggle to understand and gain in His almighty wisdom. God demands his followers to be thinkers, questioners, and a people who believe based on His words and messages. God desires a people of wisdom and who exhibit self-control in all matters they may face. For these qualities were shown in Jesus’s words and actions from start to finish. But the greatest example Jesus exhibited was the ability to put down sin and pickup righteousness, to upstage evil and save the world.
Amen,
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28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” ~ Matthew 11:28
The sickness that we endure, the day-to-day hardships of life, even the stubborn illnesses that refuse to go away which we face yearly are but nothing to our Lord who heals everything, mends everyone, uplifts every person, and through these trials we are given the evidence that God is with us no matter what? Do not assume that God is not there my brothers and sister, do not make the mistake of thinking that God has ignored our suffering, and do not make the mistake of thinking you are alone, because you are not alone, we are never alone for God is always there molding us; making us better versions of ourselves that resemble our God in Heaven. Yes, there are moments in life where we wrestle with God, we wrestle with the bad things that happen to us, and often we blame God when really self-reflection is in order. When we suffer remember there is always a reason, one that we may not truly understand until God reveals the purpose to us. Many times the result is a person stronger in their faith, stronger in their will to survive, and more loving, kind, and forgiving towards others. Suffering changes us all, not just the one who is burdened with the extra hardship but also the family and so they too are strengthened, molded, made more loving, kind, forgiving, and filled with Gods grace. There is nothing better than strife to make us crave hope from our Lord. There is nothing better than hope to restore and redeem our souls within the agape love of God.
Calling Everyone to Pray
So it is that I call everyone from everywhere to come together to pray for a man, a father, named Herbert Sutton. Beloved by his children, Herbert became ill and his illness grew into pneumonia which put him in Kaiser hospital this past Saturday, February 27, 2016. Our brother Herbert also suffers from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), which includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema which is a chronic lung disease that makes it hard to breathe. Many people who suffer from COPD become sick easier and often need extra oxygen. Some are anxious about traveling with oxygen tanks so they stay home instead of enjoying time away. But when our brother Herbert became sick and went to the hospital it was discovered that he also now has fluid on his lungs. So it is with some urgency I come to you my brothers and sisters to pray for Herbert Sutton as his suffering literally takes immense effort for him to breathe in each life-giving breath.
Prayer for Herbert Sutton
Say these words as you pray for Herbert;
Dear Lord, God in heaven I know your loving grace is with us, for you see and hear our prayers for our brother Herbert Sutton. Oh’ Lord, God in Heaven I call upon you and your healing touch to take the pain away, to make each breath easier, to give hope and love to this man who has so much to live for namely his many children and grandchildren who love him as much as you love them. Dear Lord, I humbly ask you the master of all things, master of the living and the dead, savior of all who love you to show your grace upon Herbert who lay in pain and who is long suffering, and I humbly ask you to heal him allowing him to stand, walk, and talk so it may bring glory to you alone. Oh’ my God of mercy I pray to you, the only one who can grant salvation and who sent your only son to die on the cross only to be raised on the third day, to hold Herbert in your ever loving hands, to carry him for he is weak, and to redeem him filling his soul with your love calming him, giving him reassurance, and the will to live. Oh’ Lord, God in Heaven let it be so that our brother Herbert hears your voice as you say unto him,
“I came that they might have life and have it to the full.” ~ (Jn. 10:10) As we all pray, “For
In response to the Lord – We all pray, “For the Lord is my shepherd; I shall want for nothing;
I fear no evil; for you are at my side.” ~ (Ps. 23)
Amen
Dear Brothers & Sisters, please pray this prayer to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ so that our God will send his love to Herbert in abundance and allow Herbert to breathe effortlessly once more full of life.
12 “Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,and he will divide the spoils with the strong,because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” ~ Isaiah 53:12
The vision given to Isaiah was one of a suffering servant. It painted an image of a man willing to be counted as the rest of us sinners, who would bring healing and salvation through his suffering. It also was a portrait of the Spiritual Works of Mercy as our suffering servant would ultimately forgive his accusers, captors, and a murderer who begged for forgiveness as he also hung on the cross. Through Isaiah, many people got to know the future plans of God and they found comfort in what they heard. This was especially true within Jewish population who began looking to the day when their messiah would come with their hearts filled with hope.
This past weekend I had the opportunity to attend a religious conference where I heard three men speak about our broken Criminal Justice System. I heard numerous stories of how this system breaks down and crushes the human soul, how it constantly eats away at the humanity of the inmate, how the value of a person is reduced to zero, and this condition is how millions of people who are behind bars live each day of their lives. I heard the statistics of those who are on death row, how they are made to wait for the grim reaper to visit them, and how much money we are willing to spend to impose this arcane system we call justice. Here are a few facts;
1.) 2,220,300 adults were incarcerated in US federal and state prisons, and county jails in 2013 – about 0.91% of adults (1 in 110) in the U.S. resident population. ~ US Bureau of Justice Statistics
2.) African Americans now constitute nearly 1 million of the total 2.3 million incarcerated population. African Americans are incarcerated at nearly six times the rate of whites. Together, African American and Hispanics comprised 58% of all prisoners in 2008, even though African Americans and Hispanics make up approximately one-quarter of the US population ~ NAACP, Criminal Fact Sheet (2016)
3.) As of January 1, 2016, there were 2,943 death row inmates in the United States. ~ “Death Row U.S.A. Winter 2016” (PDF). NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. January 1, 2016. Retrieved February 28, 2016.
4.) Maintaining each death row prisoner costs taxpayers $90,000 more per year than a prisoner in general population. There are 714 inmates on California’s death row. ~ Death Penalty Information Center
5.) California Spends Millions More on Capital Cases – California spends $90 Million dollars annually above and beyond the ordinary costs of the justice system in capital cases. $78 million of that total is incurred at the trial level (Sacramento Bee, March 18, 1988). In January 2003, despite a budget deficit, California Governor Gray Davis proposed building a new $220 million state of the art death row. ~ (“San Quentin Debate: Death Row vs. Bay Views, New York Times, December 18, 2004).
What We Are Spiritually Called to Do!
12 “And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” ~ Matthew 6:12
We are called to enter into the wideness of our mercy on a daily basis! We are called to treat each other with: “love, kindness, and respect, because every person needs to be heard, to be loved, and to be respected”.(God’s Desire for Man, Reflection 1, April 18, 2009) On this point, I would like to say that in truth none of us are better or worse than the most murderous criminal because first we are all sinners, and second because “there are no monsters there are only people with illnesses who are called to carry more burden than the rest of us.” ~ Fr. Gregory Boyle, (2016).If you enter into the wideness of your mercy then you can begin to see people as God sees them. We are sinful and so His divine mercy was to wipe away our sin through the death of His only son. Jesus is the Messiah of forgiveness and mercy, for He knows your pain because he went through it Himself. Therefore, if Jesus could call on God’s divine mercy to forgive sin and to forgive offenses then so can we. Our God is a God of inclusion, “God takes inclusion seriously – acceptances and non-violence seriously!” ~ Boyle, (2016). Thus, if God can include everyone then so can we! For “God looks past our faults and sees our needs.” ~ Chubs, (2016). Again, if God can look past our faults then so can we do the same for each other! The true message behind the Spiritual Work of Mercy; “Forgive Offenses” is found in daily prayer for those who have hurt you in some way, to pray for the grace to forgive them in your heart, and if you find it exceedingly difficult to forgive then call upon God’s divine mercy to help you enter into the wideness of your mercy. Letting go of grudges, finding commonalities, always remaining in your heart and in your actions with the love and kindness of our savior, and remembering that we are all sinners, especially if your kindness is not returned.
One shining example of the Spiritual Works of Mercy,‘Forgive Offenses’, is a man who was the first speaker at the conference I had attended yesterday in Anaheim California, Aqeela Sherrills who has dedicated his life to campaigning against gang violence and the death penalty. He currently lives in Watts, Los Angeles. In 1992, Sherrills brokered a peace agreement between the Bloods and the Crips and his “current focus is on what he terms the ‘Reverence Movement,’ a peace process that allows people to see the sacredness in one another.” ~ The Shift Network, (2016). The reason why I was so moved by his personal story was because he told the history of how he brokered this amazing deal of peace between the Crips and the Bloods in order to save thousands of young lives both in the gangs themselves but also innocent by standards within the community. Then he told the gripping events of the death of his oldest son Terrell who had his whole life ahead of him after just graduating Verbum Dei High School, (a High School the majority of my male students attend after graduating the 8th grade), so there was an immediate connection. Then Mr. Sherrills accounted the stunning events that lead to his son’s death. “See he went to a party and was shot to death!” Many people at the party witnessed Terrell die became angry because to see this is traumatizing. But after the trauma, many began calling for revenge. But what happened next is what truly caught my attention, see I was expecting the pain and grief to be all Mr. Sherrills could see, I would have expected Mr. Sherrills to want some sort of revenge. But instead, when Mr. Sherrills heard what was going on in his community on behalf of his son he drove over to the place this was going on and got out of the car and said, “This is not what my son’s legacy will be about! If you go by street justice which is an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, then it will leave us all blind and toothless!” ~ Sherrills (2016). So here is a man of great compassion and mercy, because the next thing he said was just astounding for what we wanted was to meet the 17 year old shooter find out about his life, talk with his parents, find out if there was some sort of relationship between them be it bad or good, and then help heal this boy through forgiveness, through counseling, and spiritual guidance. He would do that because the murder was also a victim of the culture and of our society. In retrospect, Mr. Sherrills not just demonstrated the Spiritual Work of Mercy but he also was following in the footstep of Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. It is role models like this which are leading a campaign to end the suffering of millions who are both victims but who are also incarcerated on death row.
My final point is this if Jesus could forgive a murderer then so can we. If Mr. Sherrills can forgive his son’s killer then so can we. If we all make it a point to change the way we perceive justice and throw away this double standard that says’s, “spiritually we believe every person has the right to life on one hand, then on the other hand freely say the government has the right to kill.” How does that even work? If you believe in the Right to Life, then killing a human being for any reason should be against your moral code! But yet many people past and present would go to church and say one thing and then stand in the courtroom proclaiming the exact opposite. There should be no special cases, there should be no exceptions, there should be no selling out when it comes to your Christian obligations and moral code, and when defending these principles you, in fact, are standing up for Christ himself who has already stood up for you through his death on the cross.
Please sign the petition that will abolish the Death Penalty in California. ~ Click Here
Also please visit National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty for scheduled executions and please pray for them. ~ Click Here
Amen,
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30 “Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 31 but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” ~ Isaiah 40:30 – 31
The calendar is the method we use to measure linear time. We structure our lives around time, around dates, around events, and around lives anchored to the material things that will pass away in the end when everything is said and done. People from all places cling to material possessions for the unwritten rule is the more you have the better you are, thus the more power you acquire. Money is very much an example of how we as people cling to materialism as it takes time and effort to acquire. The instant reward for acquiring this wealth, (i.e. things), is that there will be more doors called opportunities, (generally entrenched the individual into a specific lifestyle based on money), therefore the more money it takes to keep the doors open. In this lifestyle the harder a person has to work to make everything flow as everything which is devised from man will. Though there are many more examples of this the way we approach life as mortals is very much linked to our beliefs and priorities. If money is a persons priority then all their efforts will be to acquire wealth and in that frame of mind nothing else will be as important. That single decision will dominate that persons thoughts in both their professional efforts at others expense and their social life for it will be anchored in spending time with people who have wealth in order to make those connection to enhance their professional life. Their friends become business opportunities and their time spend will only be based on the surface, nothing deeper can grow in this environment. Sadly, the people of lesser means that God sends into life of the aspiring rich person will be deflected away because of their perceived status and the important lessons God is trying to teach is lost. Eventually a crisis will accrue and the hunger for a deeper relationship will become the center piece of that crisis because we are designed to function as social beings, we are hot-wired to build deeper relationships with other people absent of status, absent of what other people can do for you, for our lives must have meaning, and this is achieved through the hope that others first accept the person you are in this world. Within this hunger of a meaningful relationship we all strive to be heard, respected, liked, and understood this translates into the feeling of being loved which impacts our hearts and influences future behavior in a very deep meaningful way. The fix for the aspiring rich person does not come easy as their dedicated linear time is spending building the things of this world, rather the only fix is found in the love we are given from God. Whether people want to accept this truth or not the matter-of-fact is that all people are born with God being present within them; the key is to accept His divine presence in their earthly lives. Therefore, Isaiah states very clearly that those of us who live a life based on earthly pursuits grow weary, but those of us who place hope in the risen Lord find strength and renewal in Him alone and thus soar like eagles in all areas of our lives. The driving force in this scripture is that we are given many opportunities for change and in the effort for making positive changes in our lives is the reality of having a rewarding relationship with our God in Heaven.
NEW YEAR
8 “What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith inChrist—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.” ~ Philippians 3:8-9.
Within the theme of a New Year and making “New Years Resolutions”, the more meaningful the resolution and the more we place God within the core of the change we want to make the better chance it will be that the change will be lasting. For God demands us to make changes with every revelation He gives to us. In this way become more like God, for our actions will then reflect God within our lives and we can be found in Him, Our Lord and Savior. So when it comes to a new change the mindset must fit the transformation God wants to make within us. To say, “I want to lose weight.”, misses the mark unless you make the adjustment by adding, “I want to live healthier in both my life and in my spirit.” This adjustment anchors your change and reflects a new mindset in your faith and thus activates the power of God within you and instead of one flawed person trying to do something different there is the creator of the universe giving them the strength to make the change permanent.
NEW CHANCES
2 “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,whenever you face trials of many kinds,3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” ~ James 1:2-4
Each trial and tribulation in our lives is also a way God gives us new chances to believe in Him. Each test we are given a new chance to prove ourselves and to be as God is trying to mould us. There is in my book not one chance with God, not two, not three chances, rather our Lord and Savior is a God of many chances. God walked among us, he felt the same temptations as we feel, and so his sympathy is without limit and his forgiveness is always available for the asking. Therefore, we should not look at the new year as a second chance to do something, rather every day is a new chance, every second we live is a new chance to make an effective change in our life for the positive.
NEW CHANGE
2 “Do not be conformed to this world,but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” ~ Romans 12:2
Contemplation helps to bring the truth to our hearts, it is the door to discovering our true self, it is the tool God wishes us to utilize before acting and to always be asking for guidance within the divine will of God. If there is one change most people need desperately to make in their lives it would be to contemplate, to make time to think of their spiritual concerns, and to align themselves with the effective change God is calling us to make. Again, every change is directly linked to living a life free from the worlds trappings and instead living our lives for God. The next change that will drive all future positive change is the acceptance of God within us so we can be found within God and truly build that relationship He is yearning to have with you. If there is any New Years Resolution I would ask for for all of you it would be for all of you to become closer with our one true living God. Happy New Year 2016!
Amen,
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55 “The Lord says, ‘All you who are thirsty, come and drink. Those of you who do not have money, come, buy and eat! Come buy wine and milk without money and without cost.'” ~ Isaiah 55:1
The Lord God does not need our money, He does not require us to repay Him for all that He has done for in truth there is no way that we ever could with earthly goods. From the goodness of His divine heart God created us from the dust of the earth, He feed us; gave us food and drink freely and without cost. Thus, in every measure God gave to us life and allowed us to make our own choices freely independently with free will. In this He gave to all mankind dominion over the earth to take freely our food and drink to sustain our earthly bodies. All this was done outside of our power and monetary abilities and no matter how much we as people think we are great there in truth is nothing more great than our one true God, the giver of life, and the only true nourishment of the spirit.
The Second Gift Given Freely
30 “God gives such beauty to everything that grows in the fields, even though it is here today and thrown into a fire tomorrow. He will surely do even more for you! Why do you have such little faith?” ~ Matthew 6:30
The Lord God created everything in your sight, everything in your hearing, everything you eat and drink, and everything you use for shelter. Yet when you walk into the far-off places still untouched from the hand of man you can see His truest work the beauty in nature. God created every tree, every flower, every blade of grass and every creature giving to them exactly what they need and dressing up in such magnificent colors that would put any work of mans to shame. Yet our loving God did the same for us and in His eye we are called His most magnificent masterpiece. For God dressed us up in His image and His likeness giving us intelligence and the ability to have faith. The second most important gift from God we all receive from birth is hope and the ability to believe in Him who has created all thinks no matter how long it lasts, it comes from His divine hand.
The Third Gift Given Freely
9 “And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.” ~ Luke 11:9
God gives to us our hearts desires, look at King David who was given strength to slay the giant Goliath, his son Solomon who asked God for wisdom in saying, “8 You have shown great kindness to David my father and have made me king in his place.9 Now, Lord God, let your promise to my father David be confirmed, for you have made me king over a people who are as numerous as the dust of the earth.10 Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people, for who is able to govern this great people of yours?” in 2 Chronicles 1:8-10. From the mouth of God Solomon was given what He asked for and many thinks more that he did not ask for, all given to him freely by our loving and gracious God. Therefore from Jesus Christ’s own lips was this gift also extended to every human on earth, thus the third gift was the ability to speak directly to our one and only God. For it is His divine desire to speak directly to us from His eternal throne in Heaven. God so desires a relationship that consists of much more than one way communication, for our God gives us a voice and an audience with Him alone to ask of Him our hearts desires and to come to Him humbled asking for forgiveness. For this gift of a voice and an audience is our greatest gift for this is our direct line to the divine, our safety net when we are in raging waters, and our comfort when we pray.
The Fourth Gift Given Freely
34 “Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.’ And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.” ~ Luke 23:34
The Son of Man could have never applied to God the Father had it not been for the very forgiving nature of God Himself. Evidence of God’s forgiveness is everywhere in every book of the Bible to every word in Christ’s plea for those who nailed Him to the cross. God is so ready to forgive and restore our sinful ways and touch our harden hearts with His divine love. God knows all the pain we endure for Him and so it was within His divine will to give us the ultimate path to salvation through His only son Jesus Christ. In the last hour when Jesus breathed His last forgiveness was no longer in the hands men, but rather given freely to every human being on earth by God through Jesus Christ sacrifice. No longer was the burnt offerings acceptable for the sins of man was placed on the blood of the most High. Forgiveness is yours for the asking, as every action God has made is to bring you closer to Him, to mold you into the most-perfect version of you through His divine forgiveness. If any proof was needed then we only have to look at one sentence Jesus uttered while he was riving in agony when asked by a murder for forgiveness, 42 “Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ 43 Jesus answered him, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.'” ~ Luke 23:42-43.
The Fifth Gift Given Freely
12 “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” ~ Acts 4:12
The Lord God gave the gift of Salvation, through His only son Jesus Christ. In truth nothing else needs to be written, nothing more said, for no one could ever out do this gift from God, no other work is greater than this. God send Jesus from Heaven to fulfill something no man could ever do on his own and that was to wash away our own sins. God saw our desperation, our separation and filth, He saw the state of abuse in both the Laws of Moses and in the Laws of God and washed us clean. God in one single act saved all of humanity from ourselves and He did so out of love. For it was this message being so important and great out weighed all other divine messages and thus it was commanded of us to spread it throughout the world that we are saved through His only son Jesus Christ, the Son of Man. For the message and gift of salvation as we wait for His return is to be said as found in Titus, 13 “while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people who are his very own, eager to do what is good. 15 These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you.” ~ Titus 2:13-15.
The Sixth Gift Given Freely
10 “fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” ~ Isaiah 41:10
The Lord they God freely gives to all people His divine protection from the evils that which we could never properly conceive. The Lord thy God has stretched out His hand as a shield to protect us from all manner of sin and vile things. God has shielded us from our enemies who are both present and not yet present, from those who have threatened us in the past and in the future for goodness and holiness shall reign under the Lord for ever and ever. Put on the armor of God for He freely gives us this most magnificent protection and if we truly believe in Him we will be under His shield which nothing can penetrate. This is the sixth gift of God we can realize in our persona walk with Him, and it is one of the most precious as again it comes from God alone.
The Seventh Gift Given Freely
54 “When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: ‘Death has been swallowed up in victory.’ 55 ‘Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?’ 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” ~ 1 Corinthians 15:54-58
In death Jesus Christ was raised from the grave in a perfect resurrection body. His is what ours shall become, from death we shall rise and become more like God. Therefore, the sixth gift will be that of renewed life in God, a life with God, and a the reward promised through salvation. In this way we are given the hope of life ever after. The hope of walking with God the Eternal Father, the maker of all things for nothing is impossible for God.
Amen,
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18 “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:18
“In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” ~ The Puritan’s Mind
From the start Thanksgiving has deeply rooted the American Christian Tradition and the need to bring the family together. This was especially true when the Native American Indians and the First Settlers came together to celebrate their joint efforts in a successful harvest way back on June 20, 1676. Yet, it never occurred to me when I was growing up that there was different ways of celebrating Thanksgiving, let alone different foods people ate in different places around America. But this was brought to my attention when I first came here to California back in July 1991 where I was to met people from different places especially from the Hispanic Culture. Though the American born Hispanics largely celebrate Thanksgiving as the rest of Americans those who come from Mexico celebrate in giving thanks for a completely different reason that is largely related to many of the same reasons as that of the first Americans; that being to bring the family together and to create community; though it is called Thanksgiving an American Holiday mainly for the kids. So like every feast of celebration the Hispanic Community eat foods on Thanksgiving like – Tamales, Pozole which is like a Stew, a fruit salad with Beetroot juice soaked with Apples, Beetroot, Jicama, Orange slices and whatever other fruit you want to add in. Pollo enchilado, carne asada, menudo and is another Mexican Dish that Hispanic people would want to eat for Thanksgiving among many more. It doesn’t have to be these specific types of dishes, it could be other dishes too like tacos, Mole de Olla, or Mole. Other side dishes like dessert would include Flan, yogurt, and fruit salad or like any other dinner it could include other American desserts like pie, corn or Jello. Normally, the drinks would be wine, soda, juice, champurrado, ponche, tequila, and beer.
Church on Thanksgiving
8 “Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done.” ~ 1 Chronicles 16:8
The Hispanic culture at large is very devoted to their faith and can been seen going to Church on Thanksgiving Day. It their Mexican American children who are largely absent if given a choice. There are many families who have developed a Thanksgiving – Church Going tradition and to those families the Mexican Americans generally attend church in a variety of special hours, starting at 7:00am – 9:00am – 12:00 noon – 5:00pm – 10:00pm and then some have 11:00 – 12:00 midnight. These masses are setup to create the feeling of community and to give thanks, to have that togetherness within both the biological family as well as in the extended families. The idea is to give thanks for everything for what they have and do not yet have. In fact in the earliest mass church goers within some of the churches in the inner city of Los Angeles especially in the lower economic areas actually set up a feast for the entire community; all are welcome, from any denomination. However, I have to say that food is very important to the Hispanic culture so much so it is used to create the “Spirit of Thanksgiving” not just on Thanksgiving but in all celebrations they hold dear year round! As a teacher running the Summer Technology Team the last day is set aside to celebrate the students accomplishments and the parents would bring food of every kind quit literally it was a feast every year! I can not say this about other cultures of America, and I often reflect on this with a smile because wasn’t the Pilgrims and Native Americans who are accredited with the having the first Thanksgiving for many of the same reasons the Hispanic community celebrates it? The giving of thanks for a successful harvest, the giving of love within a community setting, to bring two cultures together that worked together to survive, the giving of thanks for things they did not yet have and of all the wonderful things they were given from above. In reality food is the constant that binds us together and it is this commonality that is truly being celebrated.
Amen,
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As we head towards the season of Thanksgiving it is important to take note of all that we have to be thankful for. Like the disciples who learned all things are possible through the love and compassion of God so to can we the many sons and daughters of Christ make miracles happen for those who are in need and thus in our own way feed the multitude. I urge you to support inner city children through the gift of education by clicking the following link.
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5 ” Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” ~ Proverbs 3:5-6
The will of God is not a mystery as some would have you believe. God is not far away on vacation, nor is His blind eye turned to us. Rather the very opposite! God is with us, He is all around us, He is in your heart and from time to time God makes His will known whether we want to hear it or not. The Bible is filled with dysfunctional people who God has saved but their walk to salvation did not truly start until they handed all their troubles and surrendered it to God. I call this, “The Great Surrender”, because in every facet of your life God is present and has a plan for you that if you listen close enough you can hear Him guiding you step by step. It’s not an easy thing to give over all facets of your life to God, it’s not a simple thing to trust in what we cannot see, in fact for most people this great surrendering is like hitting the bottom rung on the latter of life, you have only one way to go and that is up. In this desperation people often times experience a panic, a depression, and go through a crisis that marks their journey and often times results in a complete self confession where everything is revealed, where all that we thought we knew and believed was wrong. This confession generally follows a release and an out pouring of emotion that allows God to show you things you would otherwise not able to see. I know this because I went through this exact surrendering process. My “Great Surrender”, came in a time when I was emotionally led astray by the one person whom I had given everything up for and that was my ex-wife. It came to me the realization that I had put all my hopes and dreams into a person who didn’t or could not return this out pour of love and in the process I had inadvertently alienated myself from those in my life who loved me the most. I did so because I want to make my marriage work and I wanted to be a father to my only child who I loved with all my heart and soul; and who I still do. I knew if I did not move away from my parents and family I would never see my daughter and she would never know who I was. In that moment I opened my heart and cried out to God, I begged for relief or a reprieve something to end this pain and suffering that I felt in my heart and that is when I heard God speak to me. The most interesting thing is that it wasn’t like I had never prayed before, nor was it that I had never heard God before, but this time I heard His voice so loudly that it shook me to my core and in that experience I instantly saw my error, my failings, misconceptions, and what shook me the most is how wrong I was in everything I had done for my sins sat in the seat next to me in the truck as I drove all I owned from Missouri to California in the summer of 1995.
Walking With God
17 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” ~ 2 Corinthians 5:17
To walk with God is the most honest walk you will ever have for as long as you live. From the moment you accept God into your life you begin the process that will lead you to, “The Great Surrender”. Each step is like a small act of trust you hand over to God and each time a hardship happens your heart is moved closer to the solution. As your conversation with God increases your mind and belief system is changed to see what before was invisible and a world of possibilities comes into view. God’s will slowly becomes your only real concern as your life is transformed. It is this which I call, “Becoming New”, as the actions you would have taken before are made straight and are different from the actions you take now. God is the constant which moves your heart as life experiences leave questions that bring you back to God time after time. Becoming new in Christ is a belief which is the absolute power a person can actually see grow incrementally over time. In my own life experience I have seen many years where Satan challenged my ever decision and God was always standing right beside me helping me, guiding me, and consoling me. There were many years I was left alone with my own thoughts and time after time God was talking to me through my pain and heartache the world seemed to always lay at my front door step. When I say this, it sounds crazy, but God has never let me down and He is the only constant in my life. Though I am not perfect I have the confidence to know that God is there helping me through the troubled times I face constantly molding me into a better version of me! God wants to do this for every human being on earth both past and present. For He is the only constant in the universe.
Amen
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As we head towards the season of Thanksgiving it is important to take note of all that we have to be thankful for. Like the disciples who learned all things are possible through the love and compassion of God so to can we the many sons and daughters of Christ make miracles happen for those who are in need and thus in our own way feed the multitude. I urge you to support inner city children through the gift of education by clicking the following link.
Support the Boy’s & Girl’s Tech Team Click Here for more details and to show your support.
20“When you go out to war against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and an army larger than your own, you shall not be afraid of them, for the Lord your God is with you, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.2 And when you draw near to the battle, the priest shall come forward and speak to the people3 and shall say to them, ‘Hear, O Israel, today you are drawing near for battle against your enemies: let not your heart faint. Do not fear or panic or be in dread of them,4 for the Lord your God is he who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory.’” ~ Deuteronomy 20:1-4
The other day the choir came into my room to practice their songs for church and one song I had forgotten as I have not heard it for a very long time. It goes something like this:
I sat in my chair in the computer lab at my school and smiled from ear to ear. As a veteran myself I think it is an awesome song. I also think it ties in great with our faith because let’s face it, if you serve you have to believe that you will survive your service. For me it was about family, it was about having a family, I had an idea of kids, a wife, and a house with a white-picket fence. I thought my children would be waiting for me at the front door when I came home from my service. For many of the men and women who service this is a reality, and it is a beautiful one. But to also have God in your heart and to feel secure within your service then you really have something there. So to all the veterans I wish you well and hope all your dreams come true, I shall pray that God blesses you daily for all that you do for this great and wonderful country.
For all my Listening Faithfully Followers please click on the link below and submit your wishes to all our veterans. MY PERSONAL FACEBOOK
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As we head towards the season of Thanksgiving it is important to take note of all that we have to be thankful for. Like the disciples who learned all things are possible through the love and compassion of God so to can we the many sons and daughters of Christ make miracles happen for those who are in need and thus in our own way feed the multitude. I urge you to support inner city children through the gift of education by clicking the following link.
Support the Boy’s & Girl’s Tech Team Click Here for more details and to show your support.
16 “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.” ~ John 15:16.
Relationships are tricky and in some regard takes a lot of hard work to maintain. In light of this it is always amazes me to how awesome God is and how hard he works to maintain a relationship with His people. The greatest of these efforts on behalf of God was the act of sending His only son to our sinful and selfish world with only one goal in mind, that of salvation out of grace. The love of God is so enormous so astonishingly perfect that His desire has always been to pull us closer to Him, protect us from evil with His most beautiful love and His most forgiving nature that always extends to us His most-perfect grace. I know in many of my past posts I have written about how much God loves us, how awesome His grace is, and as many times as I write it I still find it hard to imagine how this – God’s perfect love – could ever truly be real, but I know it is. I know because God chose us and despite our sinful nature He continues to be present in our everyday lives.
4 “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.” ~ 1 Corinthians 13:4-8
Each relationship we have should be modeled after the relationship God wants to have with us. Every relationship no matter the type will have four main elements in common that if explored will enrich our own lives and help bring us closer to God the Father. The first of these four elements is obvious, for it is love. For in everything we do there must be traces of love in it. The best place to begin looking for traces in our love is by examining how we fight with each other, how we argue with each other, how we disagree with each other. For it is easy in those moments of great heated emotion to say things that would completely damage the person to whom we are fighting with. It is all to easy to bring up painful events or to never let a topic go, even to be judgmental for the sole purpose of winning the argument. I have seen in some people how they plot and plan to create events that they can later use against the person to whom they are constantly fighting against and in that example those who would plot to bring another person down and to purposefully destroy the relationship certainly does not know that their own fruit has already fallen and is rotten to the core where it lays. For in every argument, disagreement, fight, we need to show our love for God by being graceful and kind, by showing restraint, by being purposeful with each word, by using our body language to show inclusion and not rejection. For who are we to reject another person or to point out their sins when we have plenty enough sins of our own to contend with. For I tell you now my brothers and sisters that God is the final judge, His is the final word, His will is the final objective. So, instead of dealing with our anger as children, let us be mature and deal with each other out of love by demonstrating restraint with our words and actions and in this manner we demonstrate love for others and for God. Another excellent place to examine our own love for others is in what we do for others without them asking for it. I call this random acts of kindness, and in this we should always practice giving to others things they would not expect or think they would receive from you. It doesn’t have to be big or be purchased from a store, rather it could be something as simple as a smile, a hug, a handshake, saying hello, asking the other person if they need help with something, or it could be listening to them when they need you to just listen. In fact the name of this blog is Listening Faithfully because I make it my practice to take time out for God to just listen to His voice, read His words, tune into His will. In practicing this it’s not to hard then to do the same for others whom you claim you love. For love in it’s purest form listens, it is kind, it builds, it is forgiving, and it is the most powerful emotion we experience in this life and in the life after this one for it is of God for God is love.
9 “This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” ~ Matthew 6:9-13
The second element comes with love for if you love and know God’s perfect love then you will naturally desire forgiveness and will naturally forgive others. In this desire words like suspicion, motives, and mistrust falls away to a child-like love, unselfish, and pure. Your forgiveness will grow to include all wrongs done against you no matter how painful no matter the person or people who were involved. True forgiveness comes from the heart, it comes from the deep desire to not harp, but rather move past the harmful or hurtful event. In this we must surely focus our attentions on the idea that when we forgive it is more for ourselves, rather than the wellbeing of others. In addition to this point I must forewarn you my brothers and sisters that not everyone will ask or want your forgiveness. Again in those moments it is better to purify your heart, do not take stock in the unwillingness of others rather the purity found in the act of forgiving and knowing that God will help you to reach this point. Those who are locked into the cycle of not forgiving and or not accepting or wanting others to forgive them generally have a hardened heart and thus, they are not rather cannot be open to this most gracious act you would bestow, and thus once again they are blind to the idea that their fruit has fallen and is rotten to the core upon the ground where it landed. Let this not be your fruit, for God wants all fruits to be good and lasting.
15 “For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people.16 Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves.17 Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.” ~1 Peter 2:15-17
Relationships cannot be forged if respect is not present, nor can there be a real relationship if fake respect is given. In this there was a fraud of the heart and in that you have not only defrauded yourself, the other person, but also God, the one who made you. Therefore, in all your relationships treat them with the respect you would like to receive and rejoice in the grace which follows. For it is God’s will for every man, women, and child ought to revere the works of the Lord, to respect every human being without prejudice, and to celebrate the whole of natures bounties as one work, and accepting all these things as the singular work of God; thus, in the denial of these truths is the same as renouncing God Himself. Again, to show respect is also demonstrating love, it is demonstrating forgiveness, it is demonstrating the Godly lifestyle we all are called to by Our Lord Jesus. Remember that God though is merciful he is also the one whom we are always answerable too, in this respect God first, yourself second, and mankind third, but the division between them is so slight not even the finest hair can be pushed in between. This is where the work becomes harder because there will be times when your respect for a person will begin to erode because of things they may have done in the past. In these moments love takes over, your forgiveness becomes anointed, and then your respect renewed, but it takes time and it takes the love you gain from knowing God first.
37 “Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’38 This is the first and greatest commandment.” ~Matthew 22:37-38
Commitment is God’s legacy, one that he graciously gave to all of us, a promise that he has kept from the word words spoken that created Adam to the last word which will wipe away humanity within the rapture. For if nothing else God is committed to saving every last person that he can and His message has always been a faith message of salvation. So too should our words in our relationships resemble the words of God in that they are never-changing and reflect true commitment in every thing we do. Words made into action is the strongest testimony others could ever give on our behalf once we have passed away. Those words we all should aspire to be words of love, fond remembrance, and of true commitment. For in all relationships if you are committed to them will build you up, make you stronger, and will be blest by God. It is through this commitment in others will love be able to take root, when we make mistakes our loved ones will forgive us, and when we are renewed find a higher level of respect. Commitment is the one element most people seek and few of us every really find because it take work to maintain. Hence coming full circle we find the root of Gods commitment with us. Again there is no greater advocate, no greater protector, no greater savior, no greater love, and no greater devotion than that which we receive from God. In that fact if we make others feel this way in our relationships then surely goodness will follow you all the days of your life.
Amen,
If you enjoyed “Relationships pt. 3 – Relationship Modeled After Christ”, I invite you to stay in contact with me through the following ways and please do not forget to rate this posting below.
As we head towards the season of Thanksgiving it is important to take note of all that we have to be thankful for. Like the disciples who learned all things are possible through the love and compassion of God so to can we the many sons and daughters of Christ make miracles happen for those who are in need and thus in our own way feed the multitude. I urge you to support inner city children through the gift of education by clicking the following link.
Support the Boy’s & Girl’s Tech Team Click Here for more details and to show your support.
9 “What profit has the worker from that in which he labors? 10 I have seen the God-given task with which the sons of men are to be occupied. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.” ~ Ecclesiastes 3:9-11
According to the Roman Catholic Church, we are all saints, like we are all teachers. However, there are some who have demonstrated a special ability to impact others in such a way that it leads to the conversion of many. So it is these people who we uphold and celebrate their life lived for our Christ Jesus, a life lived unselfishly, and perhaps a life lived with purpose and grace which shines like a beacon throughout the world in every culture, country, race, and creed; for there is a Saint for every one of us. So the question I think which is most important for those who are not Catholic or Orthodox; “How can we, people of many beliefs, and many religions connect our faith to Saints?”
To start with if truth be told, Saints are ordinary people who lived and died and were venerated long before the Catholic Church was formed, and the tradition of veneration was one that came about because of the Roman persecution of the Christians. Those who died at the hands of the Romans were called Martyrs with which after their death were celebrated as being Holy, One with Christ because they died for Christ. As written in the The New Catholic Encyclopedia (1967) to answer the question, “When did the custom of canonizing saints start, and is it true that canonizations are infallible?”, this being a question that many Catholics were asking at the time, and was answered by two unnamed experts who wrote, “The faithful of the primitive Church believed that martyrs were perfect Christians and saints since they had shown the supreme proof of love by giving their lives for Christ; by their sufferings, they had attained eternal life and were indefensibly united to Christ, the Head of the Mystical Body.” Therefore, to celebrate the life a person who died for Christ is in a way celebrating the life of Jesus because Christ Himself died for us. On the other hand I have heard it said that it is wrong to venerate a person who was sinful in their life and who “Yes”, was a believer, and “Yes”, was a Christian who did wonderful things for others, and who was loving, caring, merciful, and gracious during their life, but “Yes”, was a sinner none the less. To this charge I must advocate the following after much contemplation, that we are all sinners, we are all in need of God’s divine mercy and forgiveness. But the idea that a person can be so stead fast in their love and faith for Christ, exhibiting the same love Christ showed for us, then “Yes”, they indeed should be remembered and their name written down for all time. The example we celebrate has to do with the exhibition of love and faith in Christ, and less to do with the sins that is common among all of us because Christ forgives us our sins, because Christ died to cleans us of our sins. In this way we are all connected to those who are officially and unofficially canonized as a Saint by the Roman Catholic Church, by the Pope. Because if we look past the religion, the man made traditions, and look at the humanity within the celebration of a life lived for Christ, then in this special and most basic way are we all connected in the celebration. In this way we are all sitting at the same table in observance of a feast for Christ.
Mary – Mother of Jesus a Saint?
26 “In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee,27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.28 The angel went to her and said, ‘Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.’” ~ Luke 1:26-28
In the history of Saints there are many who died and martyred on behalf of their faith and belief in the sanctity of Christ. However, the Roman Catholic Church maintains that Mary – Mother of Jesus is the first Saint. To many who are not Catholic the veneration of Mary is troubling because many religions acknowledge that though Mary was Holy, being chosen by God to give birth to Jesus, she served her purpose and after the events of the Nativity became a mother and a wife rearing other children of Joseph’s and in a large degree lived an ordinary life doing nothing more than the rest of us. So when the Catholics hold the May Crowning, a veneration of the Holy, Blessed Mary, and call her the Queen of Angels this upsets people from other religions who do not see or celebrate what the Catholics do on behalf of Mary. I know all this because I was one of them. However, it is my policy to be open-minded and to study the facts and try to see the viewpoint of other people as they see them. I urge this of everyone, especially those who follow Listening Faithfully.
So as written by J.C. Tierney and modified by Michael Duricy, on behalf of the The Marian Library/International Marian Research Institute, Dayton, Ohio, who declared, “Following Christ means doing as he does, and as much as possible being as he is. Early Christians believed that martyrs were perfect followers of Christ and saints because they had shown the supreme proof of love by giving their lives for Christ. Later on this was extended to people who defended the faith and excelled in Christian faith (doctrine, charity, virtue, austere life, etc.). In all of this the likeness, proximity, intimacy with and the following of Christ remains of paramount importance. Here is the real reason why Mary is a Saint. Mary has been the first and faithful disciple of her son as his mother, educator, follower to the foot of the cross, and steward of his legacy and mission among the first Christians. Mary’s cooperation for the sake of the world at the side of her son continues even now and until the end of times. All of this was and is possible because of God’s special love and help, promised to her by the angel at the Annunciation and reiterated by Elizabeth during Mary’s visit. To be blessed or full of grace means to have the Spirit of God, which is also the Spirit of Christ. We all receive this Spirit that Mary had received in a special way. It helps us to make our lives ever more like that of Christ, in other words, to become Saints. It is in this sense that the Church recognizes in Mary the greatest of all Saints.” (2008) Therefore, it is these things which enabled Jesus to be born, lived and was able to die on our behalf, thus if it was not for Mary, His mother we would not be saved. Again by celebrating these facts in a sense do we also celebrate all mothers who give life to the world by being present in their child’s life, teaching them, loving them, and by raising them up in the ammunition of the Lord. In this model we see the humanity, we see the non-religious reasons why we love, if it was not for God who first loved us, allowing us to receive the Holy Spirit we would not be able to celebrate Mary our mother through Christ, which is an idea we all can rally around regardless of religious affiliation.
How Should We Revere a Saint?
43 “Jesus answered him, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.’” ~ Luke 23:43
The argument many non-Catholics have against the Saints as the Catholic tradition celebrates them is for many non-Catholics a stretch. Why? The best answer for this question comes from the website, Got Questions.org, Where the question, How does the Roman Catholic understanding of “saints” compare with the biblical teaching? Answer: “Not very well. In Roman Catholic theology, the saints are in heaven. In the Bible, the saints are on earth. In Roman Catholic teaching, a person does not become a saint unless he/she is “beatified” or “canonized” by the Pope or prominent bishop. In the Bible, everyone who has received Jesus Christ by faith is a saint. In Roman Catholic practice, the saints are revered, prayed to, and in some instances, worshipped. In the Bible, saints are called to revere, worship, and pray to God alone.” These statements, in general make the common man/women argument against Saints in general. Still another argument which is also popular among non-catholics goes something like this, “Who gave the right to the Catholic Church to make Saints?” Again, these issues come form a lack of understanding about the subject matter in general and the lack of knowledge of Christian history. In addition, before the Roman Catholic Church was created by the Roman Emperor Constantine who also established himself as the head of the church in 313 A.D by issuing the Edict of Milan that decriminalized Christian worship, and which made this new “Christianity” the official religion of the Roman Empire. Secondly, in AD 325. This first ecumenical council was held to attain consensus in the church through an assembly representing all of Christendom. The major outcomes of the First Council of Nicaea was to settle two issues of the early church, that being first the nature of the Son of God and his relationship to God the Father and then second the construction of the first part of the Creed of Nicaea which established the uniform observance of the date of Easter and the creation of early canon law.
The New Definition
27 “And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.” ~ Romans 8:27-29
In short, the Romans created the Catholic Church as we know it today. However, more importantly the root of all Christendom does not being in 313 – 325 with Constantine, rather it begins with the acceptance of Mary to be the Mother of Christ Jesus as written in Luke 1:26-38, it begins with the our Lords birth into this world of sin, and His message that was delivered to the world through His ministry which lasted three years and is validated through His death and resurrection and ascension into heaven to sit at the right hand of God. To believe in the life of Jesus, in his message to mankind, to understand the significance of the work of which He accomplished here on earth is the foundations of which every human being is too aspire and is the true justification of how we should revere people who bring others to God. In this every one of us is a Saint, every one of us receives the same message from God through the Holy Spirit, and this message spans beyond any time frame of man. So, we as Christians with this new definition can look at any religion and see past the man-made laws and traditions to reveal the Godly message to which we aspire too exhibiting them in our own lives. “Yes”, Saints are here on earth, for this is the proving grounds, and “Yes”, Saints are in heaven because this is the promise of Jesus as he died on the cross as written in Luke 23:43, and “Yes”, Saints are also sinners because they are human beings just like everyone else born here on earth with the important exception of Jesus the Son of God. To say someone is a Saint – to revere them – to honor them – to celebrate their actions as mortals is just and is right. But, to set aside legal means to declare someone a saint isn’t necessarily a biblical edict but it does satisfy mans need to assign categories over his surroundings that which gives him power and sets his mind at ease. In this regard we should dismiss legality and celebrate the attempt our earthly Saints have made, the sacrifices they were willing to endure, and the message they send as it connects all of us to our creator. This is how we should properly revere Saints, and so in doing this observance of All Saints Day we are truly celebrating the known and the unknown men and women who gave their life for Christ as he gave his life for us so that we could have the hope of salvation. One does not need to be a martyr, or hear special messages from God, or be a Catholic, but rather believe in God, believe in Jesus, believe that Our Holy Father works His divine will through us and for us and in that even Gandhi – a man who lead the peaceful Indian independence movement in British-ruled India, Pope Francis – a man who was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina and devout Catholic and who was named the 266th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church and the first Pope from the Americas, and even the 14th Dalai Lama – a man who is the longest-lived head monk of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism and who’s message is of peace, and finally even Mother Mary – a women, ( a Jew), who was given the choice to be the mother of God and in doing so became the mother of the world; thus all can be called Saints for Saints are universal. For there is room for everyone from every walk of life in the eyes of God to be saintly and to be revered as a Saint.
Amen,
If you enjoyed “Special Reflection – All Saints Day ”, I invite you to stay in contact with me through the following ways and please do not forget to rate this posting below.
As we head towards the season of Thanksgiving it is important to take note of all that we have to be thankful for. Like the disciples who learned all things are possible through the love and compassion of God so to can we the many sons and daughters of Christ make miracles happen for those who are in need and thus in our own way feed the multitude. I urge you to support inner city children through the gift of education by clicking the following link.
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