... is provider! He is nurturer! He is protector! He is leader! He is Jesus! He and the Father are ONE! All we need to do is listen for Jesus’ voice and follow him. Just stay close in his presence, and our lives will be safe and sound in God’s loving hands. Why? Because Jesus is our divine Nurturer, our most beloved “person.” He knows us. He knows who we are. He sees into the reaches of our hearts, and he knows the workings of our minds. He knows where we falter, and he knows the depths of our faith. He ...
... the light stood watch against the darkness, and cared for those who have been crippled by the attacks of sin’s beasts. That is why Jesus’ little team of disciples is the vanguard of heaven’s restorative civilization. And the leading quality which identifies them is love. Here is where civilization begins in the dark jungles of earth. The Accent Of Heaven A scene from Tony Campolo’s life makes us think about this in fresh ways. When Tony spoke at a conference in Hawaii, it took a while for his body ...
... a great wife she happened to be. Details are a little sketchy, but the word was that when her husband Tom first met her, he fell in love with her and then used his power as a State Trooper to find ways to see her. The two of them were married for fifty-five years ... remembering Nancy Campbell’s life, we’re going to have a lot to smile about because it was a life well lived and well loved and there will be an abundance of memories which upon recall, we can’t help but smile. David Brooks wrote a book some ...
... up all sorts of memories; it would bring to mind all the indelible marks Tessie left upon our souls. There would be the memory and the mark of someone who exuded compassion, who exuded kindness like no one else could. Someone whom you couldn’t help but love. Talking with Coz and Betty Ann at the wake yesterday afternoon, they spoke about Tessie’s ability to get someone to come in to cover a shift. All the calls the night supervisor had made yielded no takers. No one wished to do it. Tessie struck gold ...
... help you.” “How are you going to help me?” The pastor asked. “Well, let me tell you,” said the dying man. “I’m going to help you in that I plan to be laid out at the funeral home with a fork in my hand. As you know, Father, I love to eat, and you are aware of all the suppers I’ve attended. What you don’t know, however, is that my favorite part of any dinner is when they begin to clear away the dishes and someone leans over and says: ‘You can keep your fork.’ That tells me ...
... do you look for in a sermon?" I asked. "I like a sermon which makes me think about things in a new way," said one. Widespread agreement. Yes, I thought, that's preaching. Helping us to think about things in a new way. And, particularly around here, we love to think about things. There was a time when I took this as high complement for my preaching. You emerge at the end of the Sunday service saying, "That was so interesting! We'll just have to think about that! So very, very interesting.” Until I knew you ...
... hearts to Jesus. But how can people know where our citizenship lies. John 13:35 says, "By this all men will know you are my disciples. If you love one another." Jesus here is telling us how very important it is to love. He also is telling us that is how others will be able to tell we are His disciples or Christians, by love. Just like the license plate tells a lot about the person in the car. How we love and love others will tell a lot about the one who lives within us. I hope and pray that Jesus and His ...
... . The land was good as gone. So was their house. "We've got nothing left," Tom said to Donna after they finally reached shelter. Donna was silent for a moment. She looked at Tom with tears in her eyes and whispered, "We've got each other. We've got our love." It was Tom's turn to be silent. Finally he spoke, "We've got God's love too." Tom and Donna Starr agreed that day. On the one hand they had lost just about all their earthly treasures. But they had ...
... up cooperating with God's plan to start Job's life over. After all the suffering and grief he experienced, Job could have been gun-shy about doing it all again. He could have resigned and retired. He could have become resentful and bitter. But instead he had the love and trust to cooperate with God and start it all over again. It is not easy for any of us to cooperate with God and do it all over again when we have experienced the pain of trouble; when we have experienced the pain of divorce; when we have ...
... . Judas cried, too, but not as a little one cries. Who can understand his error? What we must focus on is God's offered love, a love that moves us to tears and back to childhood. God has made a way for each of us, no matter what the stumble, to ... we can add a word: "The prayer of the made righteous is powerful and effective." Even on the night in which Judas betrayed him, Jesus showed the love of God for us all. Even before he gave his body and his blood on the cross, he gave them to us with the bread and wine ...
... are you? Wisdom cries out! Let us stop her crying by being more inquisitive, courageous, caring, and committed. Let us stop her crying by being prophetic rather than profitic. Let us pray, teach, and reach more to those in need. Let us stand boldly, undauntedly, for love, truth, and justice throughout the land. Let us cease her crying so she may find her place in every heart and every home, in every mind and in every dome where the spirit of knowledge, truth and God exists. How long shall wisdom cry before ...
... take the time to say "thank you" in a job that is often thankless don't have to do it, but they do because of their love and appreciation for the minister's work. As ministers of the Gospel we don't have to say "thanks," but we do because we appreciate the ... to say "thank you" for a job well done. They don't have to do it, but they do, and we thank God for their compassion, love, and empathy for people in need. We thank God for their blessings in our lives. We give honor and glory to God for their willingness ...
... do for them may not have worked, but, believe me, you can work it out. The same God that gave them to you will help you raise them, if you ask him. God didn't give you perfect children, because he knew you were not a perfect parent. Yet God loved you, and as Romans 5:8 says, "While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." So, likewise, while our children are yet foolish, yet disobedient, let us pray for them, that God will do for them what God did for Hosea's children. God will take the bad seed ...
... barren days and years, offers nourishment for us to grow in the grace period we are given, and stands by us with a love that will not let us be destroyed, no matter what life will bring our way. The autobiography of G. Stanley Jones is titled ... his judgment be? Fruit? Maybe it has been a barren year? But wait ... I hear some discussion about us going on. The gardener who has loved us from birth when he watered us into life and growth, the gardener is pleading for us. And look! The owner has agreed. Okay! Feed ...
... to us in the midst of our whirlwind. Another thing we notice in this story of Job is that God has a wonderful sense of humor. Job 38-41 is a remarkable discourse where God's classic reply to Job puts him in his place, firmly, absolutely, but with infinite love and compassion. One cannot help but read this discourse with a smile. For a long period of time Job takes God to task for his plight, and then calmly and with assurance God says to Job, "Let me tell you who I am." In the midst of the whirlwind Job ...
... nothing, God cannot make something out of you." He will never give us up. "As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "You are my son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased" (Mark 1:10-11). This Sunday we are reminded of the baptism of Jesus. Granted, that theme is secondary in the creation story, yet it is appropriate that at the beginning of the year we recognize its implications in our lives. It is a ...
... , whose voice we know and trust -- the voice of the Shepherd. This is the community into which we have been baptized, among whom we are called to live, with whom we are sent to serve. Imperfect, to be sure. But always accountable to the love of God in Jesus Christ our Lord. We need one another. Our gospel describes the church gathered together as a flock with one Shepherd. Our lesson describes the intimately intertwined lives of the community of the early church. We too need one another -- to worship ...
... good if Ted could come to know that. It would be so good if this parent of a dead son was not separated from God precisely at the time when he needs God's presence and comfort the most. When anyone, Christian or otherwise, is mourning the death of a loved one, that is simply not a time to quote Old Testament passages dealing with punishment. It is not the time to say, "God is giving you this to test you, to make you stronger." It is not the time for "We cannot understand why God did this, but you must ...
... ourselves each week. And what is the battle in which we're engaged? We may think we know. It may be a battle to succeed, to be liked, to be accomplished, to be happy. Or maybe it's a battle to survive, to provide for ourselves and those we love. Those battles are very real. And they are too much a part of the human spirit to dismiss them altogether. But, of far greater importance, is the battle for our spirits. If we are alert, there are countless challenges everyday to the faith that lives within us. There ...
... fear. He appears among them bringing peace. He walks with them on a country lane and breaks bread with them at their table. He makes a fire on the beach and invites them to a breakfast of bread and fish. In his presence they are forgiven, empowered, challenged, loved. John would later write, "We declare to you...what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have touched with our hands...so that you may have fellowship with us...so that our joy may be complete." This is their mission as they ...
... everything else he has to say is obscene. Before the man in Mark's story could speak a winning word to the world, first he had to hear, receive and accept that word as his own. We cannot communicate a Gospel we do not possess. 2 -- Jesus communicated his truth, love and power in this story to a single person, not to a crowd. Just because one is not quick afoot in front of a crowd does not mean s/he can't tell people about Jesus. The most effective communicating is always done one person at a time. For every ...
... 't yelling at him; he's saying, "Son, I'm very disappointed in you. You made your mother very scared when you disobeyed her. She was afraid you'd gotten hurt, or that someone had stolen you, or that you were lost and couldn't find your way home. She loves you very much, and does a lot for us. Didn't she make brownies just last night, because you told her you were hungry for brownies?" The little boy just nods, sadder than you can imagine. Or maybe you can imagine. Maybe you've been in that spot with your ...
... the truth and the life," said Jesus. Do our catch phrases resonate with his teachings? Is our new ethic consistent with the ethic he taught and preached as recorded in scripture? Is the bumper sticker, "This vehicle insured by Smith and Wesson," compatible with his words, "Love your enemy, and pray for those who despitefully use you"? Is our Golden Rule, "Do unto others before they get the chance to do unto you," synonymous with his, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you?" If we would make our ...
... ) Lesson: The poor widow put in more than all the rest. Good morning, boys and girls. What does it mean to be poor? (Responses -- Hungry, poor clothing, homeless, no toys, no money.) Do you know any poor people? (Response.) Do you think God loves poor people? (Response.) How does He help them? (Response.) Do you think that poor people love God? (Response.) Sometimes people think that if they are very rich and buy things for the church or give a lot of their money to help other people, it shows how much they ...
... the Chair of Peter we celebrate the great responsibility held in the office of the Pope. Let us not forget our own responsibility, our own share in leading the flock. The Christian call is great; let us answer God's challenge this day with an example of love for all! March 19 Ä Feast Of St. Joseph2 Samuel 7:4-5, 12-14, 16Romans 4:13, 16-18, 22Matthew 1:16, 18-21, 24 Simple Faith The first book I ever read when I began the seminary, Richard McBrien's monumental work Catholicism, defined theology, by ...