“Why does God allow us to live a life of suffering and pain?” The Merchant There was once a merchant returning home from a long journey. Attached to his saddle was a large satchel full of money. As he was riding along an open plain a storm broke out. TheContinue Reading
“The Christian with the heart of a servant, serves out of love for Christ.” In the season of Lent we are called to deny ourselves. Our call to fast, and pray, and give alms is intensified for these 40 days as we meditate upon the great sacrifice of Christ whoContinue Reading
“we are invited to look beyond the thorns of suffering to the beauty of the rose.” The Golden Rose In Rome, in a tradition so old that no one can say when it truly began, the pope blesses a rose crafted from pure gold. In churches all over the worldContinue Reading
“Worship demands sacrifice and the sacrifice He demands will be the sacrifice of our hearts and minds.” What gods do we truly worship? What would we give up everything for? Wealth? Fame? Possessions? What would we not give up regardless of what is offered to us? Prestige? Pleasure? Position? WhenContinue Reading
“Let us focus on the work before us” The Power of 40 We begin the season of Lent by anticipating its conclusion and the glories of Easter that await us. The waters of the great flood recede. Noah and the precious cargo of the ark emerge on to fertile, dryContinue Reading
The loss of a loved one can cause us seemingly endless grief. But Jesus is always with us, He never abandons us. John Gibson Paton was a Christian missionary in the 19th century. In 1858 Paton and his wife arrived on the island of Tanna in the South Pacific. HeContinue Reading
Forty is the number of trial and testing. The season of Lent begins with a recollection of Jesus going into the wilderness for 40 days, after which He is tempted by the devil. During Lent we take a figurative journey into the wilderness, into the wastelands, in an effort toContinue Reading
Traditionally the fifth Sunday of Lent was referred to as Passion Sunday. Nowadays Palm Sunday shares this designation. But still, with today’s readings we shift our focus to the coming Passion. We do this because the Lord shows us it is the proper time to do so. Some Greeks wishContinue Reading
There was a time when the Lenten fast was much more severe than it is today. We can get an idea of just how severe from observing the current traditions of the Eastern Orthodox Church. As they get closer to Easter the scope of the fast expands. By the beginningContinue Reading
The shortest verse in the bible is “Jesus wept.” Jesus wept over the loss of His friend Lazarus and how that loss affected Lazarus’ sisters, Martha and Mary. Jesus wept over Jerusalem because the people would not accept the love He offered them. When Jesus weeps it is perhaps thenContinue Reading