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February 21, 2007
Ash Wednesday
The ashes smeared on our head today is a reminder of our mortality - Remember man dust indeed thou art and it is to dust thou shalt return and a sign of our repentance. Prophet Joel rings in this holy season of lent - Come back to me with all your heart fasting and weeping. Rend your hearts not your garments.(Joel 2:12-13)
We are asked to mend our ways and rend our hearts with sincere sorrow for our sins. The thought of mortality puts things in perspective: where have we come from and where we are heading to? What is the status of our soul and why we need to change course, if that is not in accordance with His holy will. The finiteness of our existence makes us to look upto God who is infinite and ponder on what is eternal and everlasting.
The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field:The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass.The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever(Isaiah 40:6-8)
Through sin came death,but eternal life came through Christ(through his incarnation, passion, death and resurrection) who conquered sin and death.
And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof(Romans 13:11-14)
May these 40 days be a walk with Christ in his fasting and praying, that our love may be refined for God and for man in terms of everlasting life. Let us remember that Christ died for us, even while we were sinners (Romans5:8)
This hymn lets us personalize the Passion Death and Resurrection of Christ. Let this be our prayer through lent.
Soul of my saviour, sanctify my breast,
Body of Christ, be thou my saving guest,
Blood of my saviour, bathe me in thy tide,
Wash me with water flowing from thy side.Strength and protection may thy passion be,
O blessèd Jesus, hear and answer me;
Deep in thy wounds, Lord, hide and shelter me,
So shall I never, never part from thee.Guard and defend me from the foe malign,
In death's dread moments make me only thine;
Call me and bid me come to thee on high
Where I may praise thee with thy saints for ay.
Posted by frleo at 3:54 AM | Comments (0)
February 3, 2007
Sanctuaries and Super Bowl Parties
Super Bowl parties are great fun and have their place. But when they are ushered into the sanctuaries, good to ponder on Christ' own take on those who thought of the House of Prayer as a marketplace.
“So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, "Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father's house into a market!" (Jn 2:13-16)How dare we turn His Father’s House entertaining sports parties? According to an article in the Arkansas Democratic Gazette, “Churches reach out with Super Bowl”, churches are using their sanctuaries for the super bowl and holding, “carnivals and pig roasts”. If Jesus demanded that the doves be removed, wouldn’t he feel the same about pigs? One pastor is quoted to say, “There won’t be so much as a prayer at the Super Bowl Sunday event.” And another pastor comments, “We can offer a good event surrounding something the culture uses or we can just hold church and no one’s going to come.” How sad pastors feel they must host a sports event in order to get people in to their churches.
Sense of the sacred and secular and the difference there of have made no sense to some who think that they are one and the same. It has not deterred them from converting the sancturies, place of worship into temporary entertainment facilities. Why not render unto God what is God's!
Posted by frleo at 9:19 PM | Comments (0)
Tornado's fury
Our thoughts and prayers are with those who have lost their dear ones and who suffered terrible damage to their property in the tornado that wreaked havoc in Central Florida.
Posted by frleo at 9:14 PM | Comments (0)