Let me make this clear, I don't care what you are giving up for Lent

Let me make this clear, I don’t care what your are giving up for Lent…

Seriously, I don’t care. In fact, I have never understood, nor cared for, the ritual flogging Roman Catholics (and others) inflict upon themselves every late winter or early spring. I would never belittle anyone’s sacrifice large or small, or if it seemed silly to me. Only God can look on the heart and only he is the righteous judge.

Jesus said: “Then Yeshua said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and let him come after me.” (From the Aramaic Bible in plain English-Matthew 16:24). This is a far cry from “I am giving up sweets, chocolate, micro wave popcorn, meat on Fridays-seriously, forsooth!

Let’s look at what Our Lord and Savior said “Deny himself (unpleasant) Take up the cross (wow that’s a harsh metaphor), and let him come after me.

St. Paul said: "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” (Galatians 2: 20-New American Standard Version).

Wow for me some very big shoes to try to fill! How do I even begin to live up to this standard and it very important for St Paul also said: “To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Colossians 1: 27-New International Version)

So what I really want to know-mostly for myself-what am I going to do? I have some ideas for myself:

1) Read the Book! It’s pretty simple-this is the Holy and eternal Triune Gods Word to us about his character and his directions for our lives. If I can’t do anything else, I am going to read through the book of Mark.

2) I like Mary, will ponder in my heart, what I have read, and I will ask the Holy Spirit of God to guide me into the truth.

3) I will keep my temper! A tough one for me, but I’m doing it! Our Savior is a

Master of patience and peace, not rage.

4) I will reach out to my fellow human. I don’t know how yet, but I am going to do this as our Lord commands.

So this is what I am doing for Lent. Not giving up sweets, popcorn or the like. I am going to try to be Christ to every person that I meet. If I do that, I will be at least a mediocre Christian

Big D

Faith-You have to earn it!

Many times I hear people saying with great and honest conviction, "Lord, give me more faith!" You get more faith by being faithful. Many cite Jesus saying that if you have the faith of a mustard seed you can move mountain. As Christians, we believe this to be true. So why do so many Christians fail? They fail economically( Lord, I need more money), socially (Lord, I need a girl/boy friend), physically (Lord, help me lose weight), Lord, give me the faith! The Lord says to us-go out and earn it!

Remember the Parable of the Talents?The three servants whom he gave 5, 2, & 1 talent? The one with 5 made 10, the one with 2 made 4, and the one servant buried his. The Lord cast him out and gave it to the one who had 10, and said well done my good and faithful servants enter into the joy of your Lord! The faithful servants were working and received more!

This is what St James meant by saying "Faith without works is dead." We might paraphrase into "Faith without action faith is impotent. "

God is faithful-this is true. We are children of a great King, in fact, the King of Kings. If we approach our lives with this mindset then the power of the living God becomes alive in our lives.

God will more than meet us half way, but he deals with humans in a way that rewards action and prudence, forethought and wisdom (wise as serpents, harmless as doves).

What ever problem you have, God will supply your needs, but our Lord rewards action-not just words.

We will speak again -The Lord willing


Big D

The American Creed

I felt very moved to send this to the Arch Bishop. What the scholars in Rome came up with is not the plain talking creed of North Americans. This in my mind is what they should have said and it should be spoken at every mass. No minor theology lesson, no liturgical words (as much as possible), just what the faith truly is condensed down into the simplest but not simplistic wording that every North American Christian can understand. So I present the American Creed:

The American Creed

We believe in the only true Three Personage God. The personage of the Father, the ultimate being in the universe, who is all knowing, all powerful, and exists in all time in all places.

We believe in the personage of the Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who always was and is in communion with the Father, before the world began, before time was ever measured. He made the universe, gave life to all creatures, and is the Lord of creation. For all people he left his throne in heaven and was born of the Virgin Mary, and became a human while still retaining his Godhood.

Jesus taught that all people were to love their God and each other as well as they love themselves. Jesus Christ died for the sins of humanity on the cross, once for all time. Jesus was buried and on the third day, he bodily rose from the dead, and a short time later ascended into heaven, once again seated at the right hand of the Father. Some day, Jesus Christ will return to the world, and reign in peace and justice for all time.

We believe in the personage of the Holy Spirit, who was sent from the Father and the Son. He is Comforter and Counselor for all disciples of Jesus Christ. In prior days he spoke through the prophets, and now dwells within each believer, the Spirit of the Living God. The Spirit inspired the Holy Word of God, and speaks to each individual Christian today leading them into truth and holiness.

We believe in the Holy Universal Church. Established and blessed by Jesus Christ, and formed and structured by Saints Peter and St Paul. It is the collective body of believers who worship God together, and are to be his disciples in word and deed serving each other and all of humanity by following the example of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We believe in the discipleship of each individual believer called to faith and holiness. We believe in the bodily resurrection from the dead by the power of Jesus Christ, and an eternal home with Him in heaven.

Amen

Christ, the Christmas gift not wanted- but needed

As a child, I am sure just about everyone received gifts that were not high on the wish list, but turned out to be very needed-some of these are warm coats, underwear, socks, a planner.....

The Jewish people at the time of Christ were looking for a savior, and they certainly had need of saving. They were an occupied country under the rule of the Roman Empire. Antiochus Epiphanes offered a pig on the Alter in 168 BC to make his point and a statue of Zeus was placed in the Holy of Holies. Clearly the Jewish people of the time needed saving. I think about the USMC saying "Kicking__ for over 200 years, well the Roman Legion did it for over a thousand years.

The Jewish people had some fine models in their history-Moses the great deliverer who brought plagues on Egypt, Sampson the Jewish superman, Elijah who could call down fire from heaven, and David the great warrior and general. This was the gift that they were looking for; what they got was Jesus. A Rabbi who said turn the other check, He ministered to the lowly and children, He consorted with people in league with Rome!

Jesus was and still is desperately needed by this world. Only his message of peace and forgiveness can minister to a world full of want and diversion. Those who have not, desperately strive to join those who have. Those that have, seek to full fill themselves through various means: sex, drugs, pursuit of pleasure, pursuit of wealth to the point of avarice, all leave the soul empty at the end of the day-only Jesus Christ fills the quiet lack in someones soul. Only Jesus can answer the question of "Is this all there is?"

The gift the world needed-Merry Christmas!

Big D