Aloha Friday Message – May 13, 2022 – To Do What Is Right

May 13, 2022

2219AFC051322 – To Do What Is Right

Read it online here, please. And please – when you visit there – use one of the social media links at the bottom of the page to share this post. Thank you! And remember, we now have a READER VIEW available, so share this link or this email often. Do you know someone who enjoys Bible study, or who might like to read this? Ask them to email us or to subscribe on our blog-site.

      John 13:34 – 34 I give you a new commandment, that you love* one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.
Isaiah 56:7c – … for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.

*Aloha pumehana, a me ke akua ho’omaika‘i ‘oe, ʻŌmea! Warmest Aloha, and may God bless you, Belovéd! You know how I love to go find our “What Does The Word REALLY SAY?” and so I pour over you the biblical language for that Scripture. That is the case today, and I’m going to pour it on thick because this is such an important word – and concept – to understand. What, then, as the Word used for Love in the Gospel of John (and throughout the New Testament)? Jesus commands – not suggests, not hopes, not hints at – that we Love one another. Here is the Greek insight into that. Please, instead of just glossing over it, actually read it so that you see how clear and concise this command truly is. I’ll have more to say about it at the end of this loaded paragraph:

“Love” in this verse is *agapate from agapaó love (primarily of Christian love); to show or to prove one’s love; to long for, to desire; to place first preferentially in one’s affections; referring to a preferred companion – see agapé 26 agápē – properly, love which centers in moral preference. So too in secular ancient Greek, 26 (agápē) focuses on preference; likewise the verb form (25 /agapáō) in antiquity meant “to prefer” by choice. In the NT, 26 (agápē) typically refers to divine love (therefore it refers to what God prefers). Consider the verb agapáō – properly, to prefer, to love; for the believer, preferring to “live through Christ” (See 1 John 4:9-10), in other words embracing God’s will (choosing HIS choices) and obeying them through HIS power. 25 (agapáō) preeminently refers to what God prefers because “HE IS LOVE” (See 1 John 4:8-16). This passage ends with this edifying statement: “God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them.” (Read full chapter)

The word “as,” or “even as,” or “just as” does not refer to the extent of His love, but to the ubiquity of it – the way it is conferred on others. We could paraphrase it by changing “love one another” to “Prefer above all others” like this: 34 I give you a new commandment, that you prefer one another above all others. Just as I have preferred you above all others, you also should prefer one another above all others. Fulfilling this command would be to fulfill the Divine Command in Deuteronomy 6:5 – 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. In the Greek translation of the Old Testament, the Septuagint, it is shown this way: καὶ ἀγαπήσεις κύριον τὸν θεόν translates as “and you shall love the Lord your God.” The verb form is indicative future tense (agapēseis).

I show this to you to make the point that NOTHING HAS CHANGED since Moses’ days on the mountain top! God is Love. He created us with, in, and for Love. That is why we read in 1 John 4:9-10 9 God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Who is God’s Son? Jesus, namely God The Son. Who are Jesus’ adopted siblings? We are HIS brothers and sisters so God is our Father, and we are to Love our Father the way HE Loves us, and He loves us the way WE must love one another – it’s a TWICE-ORDERED COMMANDMENT! Now comes that irritating question: ” Waddaya gonna do about that?

For more than 40 years I have been asking a similar question, “What do you want to do?” We taught our children to answer, “The right thing.” I’ve asked adults the same question in management training courses and RCIA (the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults). How can we learn to Love as Jesus loved? The best answer I have is “We can’t … without Grace we would fail, but by his Grace we can Love in and through his Love.” The best part of this conundrum is that Grace is free – all we have to do is take it and use it. All of us know that. All of us also know that – at times, not always – a we forget that Grace is a two-part process: Receive it and use it. When we accept Grace, we confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. When we use Grace, we confess that God is Love.

Grace has an amazing effect when we can do some very simple things such as these:

James 4:17 – 17 Anyone, then, who knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, commits sin.

Hosea 10:12 – 12 Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground; for it is time to seek the Lord, that he may come and rain righteousness upon you.

      There it is. “Do the right thing.” We “hunger and thirst for righteousness”  if we are doing the right thing – rather than oppress others – violently or passively, personally or institutionally, willingly or ignorantly – we are to uplift and care for others; ALL others, not just the ones who share our personal proclivities for evil, or personal preferences for Love. How does one find a list, or an instruction, or some guidelines or boundaries to at least get started on such a mission of mercy and peace with our fellow earthlings? Virtually the whole Bible gives us that instruction, but there are a few passages like those here in this post that help clarify our To-Do list.

Here’s one I find particularly clear; read the underlined part carefully: Isaiah 58:6-11 – 6 Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? 7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own kin? 8 Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up quickly; your vindicator shall go before you, the glory of the Lord shall be your rearguard. 9 Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry for help, and he will say, Here I am. If you remove the yoke from among you, the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil, 10 if you offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted, then your light shall rise in the darkness and your gloom be like the noonday. 11 The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your needs in parched places, and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters never fail. If I use that as my checklist, I still have a lot of work to do! I choose, therefore, to begin with blessings rather than curses, with understanding rather than resentment, and with the resolve to work even harder to do the right thing. I thank the Lord for his blessings on me (↔ Music Link) and counting them (↔ Music Link) is far better than worrying about what life would be like without them. There is something in the Book of Numbers that often comes to my mind. I have adapted it for use as my own personal blessing on some occasions. You’ll find it in Numbers 6:24-26, and it goes like this: 24 The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; 26 the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace. To that I add, “May Almighty God bless you, and I bless you, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit” as I trace a cross on a person’s forehead. It’s a small thing, but it also is a right thing. Let’s take a moment to look at the full text of our second Key Verse for additional guidance:

Isaiah 56:6-7 – The foreigners who join themselves to the LORD, ministering to him, loving the name of the LORD, and becoming his servants — all who keep the Sabbath free from profanation and hold to my covenant, them I will bring to my holy mountain and make joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be acceptable on my altar, (for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.) In my heart and mind, I find I must confess that it is difficult for me to accept that “all peoples” belong in the house – the family – of God. What I have often failed to realize is that it is not I who gets to make that decision; I am not the one to discern between us and them, this and that, you and me. God’s Word alone is our judge, and he always judges with fairness and rules with equity. If I truly want to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with … God, then I have to do the right thing. It’s what I want; it’s not always what I get; it is always what I need.

To Do What Is Right is sometimes difficult because we are sinners. Let us resolve then to live in his Grace by loving as he has loved. These words from the Apostle Paul to the Hebrews are always a great comfort even in these difficult times: Ephesians 2:4-10 – 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us 5 even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ — by grace you have been saved — 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God — 9 not the result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.

That’s just how simple it is. It’s enough to keep us singing. (↔ Music Link [loads slowly]) We sometimes slip and fall, but God’s arms are for reaching out to us, to give us someone to lean on (↔ Music Link) when things are tough. It is then and there that we learn “To Do What Is Right.” We need only to recall what the Apostle Paul told us in 1 Thessalonians 5:15 – 15 See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all. So many people these days – all around the world – go out of their way to curse, to violate, to denigrate, and to discriminate against everyone who doesn’t think like them. We ignore instructions such as those in 1 Peter 3:8 and 1 Corinthians 1:10 to have (as The Apostle Peter puts it) unity of spirit, sympathy, love for one another, a tender heart, and a humble mind. “Ah!” you say, “you forget, not everyone is Christian. Non-Christians will never accept that.” Actually, only the most evil persons cannot accept that. ALL major religions at their core preach and teach respect for each other and encourage peace as the preferred way of life. Even people who have nothing to do with any religion can be good and kind and generous. Hate is definitely a perversion of God’s intent for human nature. God wishes to bless everyone, even the unjust, and he does so in many ways (← Check it out!). That is because God is Infinitely Just which allows him to be Infinitely Merciful because he has Perfect Integrity. His Mercy endures forever – for those who who trust in his ways (↔ Music Link). For those who do not trust in his ways, his justice falls heavily on those who will not accept the Power of his Grace. Therein shall they learn with us To Do What Is Right.

Whatever, whenever, wherever, whoever, however, if ever, forever —
at your service, Belovéd!
Please pray with us here at Share-a-Prayer.

Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture passages are from the New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE) New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Biblical languages inserts from Bible Hub (Bible Hub: Search, Read, Study the Bible in Many Languages) Visit at

Creative Commons License
Aloha Friday Messages by Charles O. Todd, III is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License

Aloha Friday Message – May 6, 2022 – Read the instructions

May 6, 2022

2218AFC050622 – Read the instructions

Read it online here, please. And please – when you visit there – use one of the social media links at the bottom of the page to share this post. Thank you! And remember, we now have a READER VIEW available, so share this link or this email often. Do you know someone who enjoys Bible study, or who might like to read this? Ask them to email us or to subscribe on our blog-site.

     Psalm 100:3 – 3 Know that the Lord is God. It is he that made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

John 10:11 – 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep

John 10:27 – 27 My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me.

Isaiah 60:3 – 3 Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.

Luke 2:32 – [Simeon said] 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.”

Aloha nui loa, ʻŌmea! Grace and Peace to each of you from God our Father and our Lord, Jesus the Christ, in the Power of the Holy Spirit. This coming Sunday is the Fourth Sunday of Eastertide. It is commonly referred to as “Good Shepherd Sunday” because the readings – regardless of the Gospel cycles – focus on Jesus proclaiming that he is the Good Shepherd. You can find details about that idea here (↔ Click Link) and here (↔ Click Link for other names referring to Jesus). We’ve looked into Jesus’ words about being a good shepherd, and that claim is sharply contrasted with the Prophets’ warnings to the Priests of Israel telling them that they are unfaithful, and even brutishly stupid (See Jeremiah 10:21). Jesus called the Pharisees “blind guides” and characterized them as pompous hypocrites. We recall that the word “hypocrite” comes from a Greek word hupokrités – literally under or behind a mask – a pretender, an actor, a two-faced performer whose words are contradicted by their actions. There is a disconnect between what they profess and how they progress. God had definitive instructions on the behavior he expected and time after time after time those instructions were ignored. Let’s go back to the beginning of Israel – to the Promise made to Abraham about the land his seed would inherit.

We can start with Genesis 15:16-21 where God describes an immense area extending from the Mediterranean to the Euphrates, from Dan to Beersheba. You can get a sense of that here (↔ Click Link). As you can see from the list in verses 19-21, God instructed Israel to take away the areas of 10 nations. He instructed them to utterly destroy all of those people because they had become so evil. In the promise to Abraham, God said Abraham’s descendants would possess all of that in the fourth generation – roughly 400 years later! They did not follow his instructions. We have the story of Achan who did not follow the “rules of the ban,” and he took some of the treasure of the spoils and hid it in his tent. He didn’t think God would see. When Israel went to battle with Ai, they lost because they were overly confident in themselves rather that trusting in God and what he had instructed them to do. How often do we transgress because we think we know better than God what we should do? The honest answer is “Most of the times that I’m wrong.” We end up in a dark place, scared, uncertain, hoping that somehow God will understand, reach into the mess we’ve made, and save us  –  AGAIN. Why oh why do we jump into those dark places? What is so attractive about sin that we just can’t seem to avoid it? Why is it so discouraging? (↔ Music Link) Scroll back up and look at the first Key Verse from Psalm 100. Psalm 100:3 – 3 Know that the Lord is God. It is he that made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture

We know God made us and we are his … until we forget and pretend (actors are we) that we are ours. Like a four-year-old we insist, “I do it myself! No, Belovéd, we needn’t even try to do that; we will fail because we did not follow instructions. Let me share with you an example.

When I was doing Management Training work, I sometimes used “A Test for Following Directions.” You can view the test (and download it) by using this link. The directions say to “read all of the directions before beginning this test.” That instruction is also read orally at the beginning of the exercise. Then there follows a ridiculous series of tasks until you get to the last instruction which says to ignore all the previous instructions and that’s the end of it. The point of the exercise is that many (sometimes “most”) of us will plow right in and start doing these ridiculous things because we are conditioned to start promptly and work hard. When I was a kid, all the “standardized test” instructions included something like “Work quickly and well.” We have to read the instructions. So now it’s time to spring my little surprise!

This is the follow-up message in a so-far-unnamed series. Last week we learned Jesus’ simple but powerful instruction to the Apostles: “Follow me.” (↔ Music Link) That is how sheep work with the shepherd. He leads, they follow; they know his voice. God has established that sort of relationship with his chosen people – he leads, they follow – except they forgot; or more properly stated they chose not to follow. HE is God. WE are not (sounds familiar, yes?), and it is his loving care that guides us. Jesus takes on the role of shepherd because the shepherds God had appointed and anointed failed to lead as God decreed. They didn’t follow his instructions. Oh they read them, memorized them even, but when it came to the nitty-gritty of following them, they failed the test. The Chosen People chose poorly. They chose not to put every structure and living creature under The Ban “The Ban” is God’s order to utterly destroy each nation in Canaan – men, women, children, infants, cattle, buildings, homes – everything absolutely, completely, unreservedly, fully demolished. The people in the Ten Nations under The Ban were too evil to be allowed to exist – much in the same way God looked at the world in Noah’s time and decided to save only 8 of them. In Canaan God decided to save the obedient people in Israel (the disobedient were also to be eliminated), but to wipe out everyone else. They didn’t do that, and we’re still seeing the results of that failure today.

God chose Israel to be “a light to the nations.” By their obedience and Love they would shine like the sun before other nations so that nations not chosen would look at Israel and say, “What other nation has a God so powerful, and laws so fair, or wisdom so fine as the nation of Israel?” (See Deuteronomy 4:31-40 for Moses’ instructions to Israel on this. It’s a great read!) Isaiah said it well in one of our Key Verses – Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. In their humanness, they could not complete that instruction. It would take a human from God to be that light, that Salvation, that fulfillment of God’s intent for Adam and Eve. He not only told us he is the Good Shepherd but also that he is the Light of the World. I’m going to place John 12:46-50 here so you can see how important it is to know and understand what Jesus means (my emphasis added):

46 “I have come as light into the world, so that everyone who believes in me should not remain in the darkness. 47 I do not judge anyone who hears my words and does not keep them, for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. 48 The one who rejects me and does not receive my word has a judge; on the last day the word that I have spoken will serve as judge, 49 for I have not spoken on my own, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment about what to say and what to speak. 50 And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I speak, therefore, I speak just as the Father has told me.”

Jesus can, will, and does follow God’s instructions. If we are in him and he is in us, then we are in the Light and the Light is in us; we no longer belong to darkness. In this quote from Camus, where it says “within me,” substitute “in Jesus.” (You Biblicists out there will doubtless want to look at the First Letter of John especially 1 John 2:1 – 3:6. It is a most consoling passage full of good instructions.) I’m going to give you 1 John 3:6 for the edification of those who did not go and read the longer passage: 1 John 3:6 – 6 No one who abides in him sins; no one who sins has either seen him or known him. OUCH!

I do not know any living person in the World who does not sin, but I know of billions who abide in him, whose sins are forgotten, disremembered, g-o-n-e GONE! “How does that happen?” you might ask. They are the ones who follow instructions. “Where do they get these instructions?” you say. In the B.I.B.L.E., a beneficial feature of the APP which is activated each time we repent and believe the Gospel. But, like Israel, sometimes we forget. No worries! God has posted sentinels to watch for the enemies of God. They are our Prophets, and this is how they are instructed and respond:

Isaiah 21:6-9 – 6 For this is what Adonai said to me: “Go, post a watchman to report what he sees! 7 If he sees the cavalry, horsemen in pairs, riders on donkeys, riders on camels, he must be on alert, on full alert!” 8 He calls out like a lion: “My lord, I stand on the watchtower all day long, I stay at my post all night.” 9 Then, as they appeared — the cavalry, horsemen in pairs — he spoke these words: “She has fallen! She has fallen — Bavel*! All the carved images of her gods lie shattered on the ground.” *Babylon Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)

Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

You see, Truth will prevail, Love will endure, Virtue will remain unblemished for all who read – AND OBEY – the instructions from the one who is a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to [God’s] people Israel. Little children of the Belovéd, come to the light! It’s shining for us. (↔ Music Link) Come! Let us follow him who made us wholly Holy! He is calling. (↔ Music Link) What will we do? (↔ Music Link) Read the instructions, then trust and obey!

Whatever, whenever, wherever, whoever, however, if ever, forever —
at your service, Belovéd!

Please pray with us here at Share-a-Prayer.

Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture passages are from the New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE) New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Biblical languages inserts from Bible Hub (Bible Hub: Search, Read, Study the Bible in Many Languages) Visit at http://biblehub.com

Creative Commons License
Aloha Friday Messages by Charles O. Todd, III is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License

Aloha Friday Message – April 29, 2022 – Follow the Leader

April 29, 2022

2217AFC042922 – Follow the Leader

Read it online here, please. And please – when you visit there – use one of the social media links at the bottom of the page to share this post. Thank you! And remember, we now have a READER VIEW available, so share this link or this email often. Do you know someone who enjoys Bible study, or who might like to read this? Ask them to email us or to subscribe on our blog-site.

     Revelation 5:13 – 13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, singing,

“To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor and glory and might
forever and ever!”

Acts 5:41 – 41 As they left the council, they rejoiced that they were considered worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name.

John 21:18-19 – 18 Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.” 19 (He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, “Follow me.”

John 13:13 – 13 You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are right, for that is what I am.

John 13:20 – 20 Very truly, I tell you, whoever receives one whom I send receives me; and whoever receives me receives him who sent me.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to set us free from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen. Aloha nui loa, ʻŌmea! Here we are, already at the Third Sunday of the Octave of Easter. There are two types of octaves in the Catholic Church. The most common form we think of is an eight-day period the beginning day inclusive. Here’s an illustration to show that:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(See Divine Mercy Sunday and Robert Allard for more information)

Note the tie-in (↔ Click Link) with the 6th Feast in Leviticus 23 – Yom Kippur, the Feast of Atonement. It is also like Succoth, the “Feast of Weeks,” a seven-week period of powerful significance. This is the second form of Octave (↔ Click Link) we think of in the Church. It is a “Privileged Octave” during which no other feasts can be celebrated. In the fifty days from Easter to Pentecost, we celebrate this “long octave” which leads up to the birthday of the Church in the Cenacle at Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost. “Pentecost” is the fiftieth day. Pentecost (Shavu’ot) The Feast of Weeks or Festival of Harvest is at the very center of the Jewish ordained feasts – the fourth of seven. It’s good for us to know and understand how deep and long this tradition is, and to consider it on this 3rd Sunday of Easter.

The coming Sunday is also May first and the beginning of a month-long celebration of the role of Mary, the Mother of Jesus. She really is the first Disciple, the first Apostle, and the first Theotokos – the God-Bearer. I often muse about how this good Jewish mother might have pondered her son’s mission and ministry. As he drew closer to Jerusalem, he told his Disciples – which likely included his Mother, several other women, and the 12 Apostles – the nature of his impending abuse, torture, death, burial, and resurrection. And then …

He told them this: John 13:13 – 13 You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are right, for that is what I am. John 13:20 – 20 Very truly, I tell you, whoever receives one whom I send receives me; and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. He had already called them by name and sent them out to preach and minister to the People – the meaning of Apostle → Gr. apostolos (ap-os’-tol-os). An Apostle carries with her/his faith the authority of the One who commissions the sending forth. He is indeed the Teacher – Διδάσκαλος (Didaskalos) – an expert in Scripture and theology. They – and we – have his teaching authority if we accept his sending forth. Are we baptized? Are we anointed? Are we commissioned? Do we serve the One True God? Then whoever receives us receives the One who sent us. He is our Teacher and Lord if indeed his Holy Spirit is within us. (See Romans 8:9) We love our Lord because he first loved us (See 1 John 4:19); we follow him because he chose us (See John 15:16). He chose us to redeem us; he has called us by name, and we are his. (See Isaiah 43:1c) As we are his, we are blessed in Christ and we bless God for our Redeemer: Ephesians 1:3-4 – 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. Now, why is that important?

It is important because the only things in Heaven made by humans are the scars in the hands of Jesus. (↔ Music Link) If we want to join in that heavenly chorus singing “To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” – then we must be holy and blameless before him in love. We get that status in and through Jesus. Without that blessing from God, we most certainly will miss out on being there to praise, bless, and minister to God. I’m going to steal a little something from 2140AFC100121 – Bless God for Consecration. We see these words “bless the Lord” in scripture so many times, especially in the Psalms (see Psalms 16, 68, 104, and 134 for samples). When I say, “Bless the Lord,” I am acknowledging he is God and I am not. I am extolling, praising, exalting, applauding, revering, lauding, and glorifying God. And there’s another one of those words! Glorify God. God is the penultimate Glory. So that makes me wonder …

Q: What can my puny existence add to his Glory?
A:  Nothing.
Q: What does God need from me?
A:  Nothing.
Q: Then what can I give to God?
A:  Everything.

Huh?

 Q: If he’s got everything and he created everything and he is everything and he’s in everything, and everything I have comes from him … how can I give him everything?!?  
A:  By extolling, praising, exalting, applauding, revering, lauding, glorifying, and thanking God. That is how we bless God. But to do that, we first have to be perfected in Christ Jesus, and Jesus has already taken care of that. In our baptism (the remittance of original sin), confirmation (the Gift of the Holy Spirit), and Eucharist (the fellowship of Grace by which we share in his Divinity by surrendering our humanity to his Will) we are prepared to bless God – first in our lives here on Earth, and later for eternity in Heaven. TAKE CAREFUL NOTE of the beginning of that passage from Revelation: “13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, singing …” We participate in that choir through Grace. (See Ephesians 2:8-9) (↔ SERIOUSLY Click that Link) Now, let’s finish up with the last two Key Verses:

Acts 5:41 – 41 As they left the council, they rejoiced that they were considered worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name.

John 21:18-19 – 18 Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.” 19 (He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, “Follow me.”

The Apostles REJOICED when they suffered dishonor for the sake of the Name of Jesus. Every Apostle suffered martyrdom … GLADLY. For all of them, Easter was the beginning of their ending. A couple of weeks ago I asked, “Are we ready for that Easter which includes Calvary and the Tomb?” We, too, will find in our lives some form of dishonor, mortification, and for some even martyrdom if we are worthy to extol that Name which is above every name. (See Philippians 2:9-11) Please notice that the last words in this passage are “to the glory of God the Father.” You see, Heaven isn’t just about walking around in your shimmering robe and golden slippers on streets of gold and gems whilst visiting with family, friends, and people you’ve always longed to meet. Heaven is about Praising and Blessing God. Always. Over and over. We picture standing at the Threshold of the Pearly Gates, craning our necks to see who else made it, and waiting for The Apostle Peter to issue our harp and halo. Jesus gave his Rock the clearest command in the APP. It’s the same command he gives to us. It’s not a suggestion, not a wish, not an easy task, but it is an Absolutely Perfect Mandate:

“FOLLOW ME.” I, you, we – together – must go where HE goes because he’s The Leader. WE REPENT, BELIEVE THE GOSPEL, AND FOLLOW HIM. 1, 2, 3 – EASY AS CAN BE.

I can stand in agreement with Bob Dylan and say, “I was born very far from where I’m supposed to be, and so I’m on my way home.” ― Bob Dylan, (No Direction Home: Bob Dylan). I’m excited about getting there, and I’m excited about being on The Road Home with all of you! I think one of the first things I’ll do is listen for the band and the choir and then look for “SomeOne’s beat up, fuzziless Teddy Bear. Standing. Grinning. DANCING“(↔ Click Link)

When I cross that threshold I am hoping I will hear,

SomeOne calling out, “Come near!
I AM Lord of All That Dance,
The Was, The Is, The Evermore.
The Maker of The Band.”

I’m learning to dance, praise God, as planned! I’m following the Leader!

Whatever, whenever, wherever, whoever, however, if ever, forever —
at your service, Belovéd!

Please pray with us here at Share-a-Prayer.

Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture passages are from the New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE) New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Biblical languages inserts from Bible Hub (Bible Hub: Search, Read, Study the Bible in Many Languages) Visit at http://biblehub.com

Creative Commons License
Aloha Friday Messages by Charles O. Todd, III is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License

 

 

The Path Leading Home – Scriptures for Witnessing

April 22, 2022

The Path Leading Home
TABLE:

Romans 3:23 – 23 since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God[1]; John 3:36 – 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever disobeys the Son will not see life, but must endure God’s wrath. Acts 4:12 – 12 There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved.  

Mark 8:36 – 36 For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life?
Romans 6:23 – 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Hebrews 10:31 – 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Hebrews 2:3 – 3 how can we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? It was declared at first through the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard him, 2 Corinthians 6:2 – 2 For he says,

“At an acceptable time I have listened to you, and on a day of salvation I have helped you.”

See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation!
Matthew 11:28 – 28 Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. John 14:6 – 6 Jesus said to him, “I AM the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 5:24 – 24 Very truly, I tell you, anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life, and does not come under judgment, but has passed from death to life. John 3:16-19 – 16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.

17 “Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil.
John 11:25 – 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life.[a] Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” John 1:12 – 12 But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God Ephesians 2:8-9 – 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— 9 not the result of works, so that no one may boast. Romans 10:9 – 9 because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
John 1:1-5 – 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being 4 in him was life,[a] and the life was the light of all people. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. Isaiah 43:1b-2 – Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. 2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. John 15:16 – 16 You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. John 16:23-24 – 23 On that day you will ask nothing of me.[a] Very truly, I tell you, if you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.[b] 24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.
Matthew 28:18-20 – 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”[

“If today you hear is voice…” Jesus is inviting you to share his Joy. If you have not accepted Christ as your personal savior, pray this short prayer from your heart and Jesus will answer it. If you already know the Lord and have found peace and joy in his presence, pray this prayer to recommit and reconsecrate your life to him.

Jesus, I realize now that you are God’s Only Begotten Son. I know you chose to die in my place for the forgiveness of my sins. Thank you for loving me so much. I want to love you that much, too, and I claim you as my personal Savior. I give you my heart, my life, my soul, my all. I ask you to be in my life forever. Bless me with your Presence, and send your Holy Spirit to pray with and for me so my faith in you becomes permanent and real. I accept your love, your forgiveness, and your Salvation. AMEN

Remember, saying this prayer or any other prayer will not save you. Only believing in Jesus Christ, His finished work on the cross for you, and his resurrection into Glory can save you from sin.

[1] The glory of the Divine righteousness which man, through sin, falls short of.

Aloha Friday Message – April 22, 2022 – The End of the Beginning of the End

April 22, 2022

2216AFC042222 – The End of the Beginning of the End

Read it online here, please. And please – when you visit there – use one of the social media links at the bottom of the page to share this post. Thank you! And remember, we now have a READER VIEW available, so share this link or this email often.  Do you know someone who enjoys Bible study, or who might like to read this? Ask them to email us or to subscribe on our blog-site.  

      Revelation 1:17b-19 – … “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, 18 and the living one. I was dead, and see, I am alive forever and ever; and I have the keys of Death and of Hades. 19 Now write what you have seen, what is, and what is to take place after this.”

Revelation 1:8 – 8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” (Gr. Παντοκράτωρ – pantokratór Hb. שַׁדַּי Shaddai)

John 1:1-5 – 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being 4 in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

Aloha nui loa, ʻŌmea! Grace and Peace to each of you from God our Father and our Lord, Jesus the Christ, in the Power of the Holy Spirit. This is a pretty strange title, que non? What is “The end of the beginning of the end?” Let’s start at the right side and work to the left: THE END: It is hard to quantify that because the End of ALL has been imminent for over 2,000 years (since Christ) and a similar idea was found on an Assyrian tablet dating from about 2800 BC!! That covers about 6,000 years of waiting for the Big One that brings this whole folderol to an end. But is it really silly nonsense? “All good things come to an end.” That’s reasonable; we can see that happening all the time. But isn’t it also true that “All bad things some to an end,” too? Granted, many bad things do end badly, but not all. Some good things can end badly, too – political maneuvering comes to mind. Based on what I see in religion, history, civics, politics, and Scripture I’d say that just about everyone believes the planet and everything in and on it will be destroyed – take your choice: Global warming, nuclear war, alien invasions (the extraterrestrial kind, not the political kind), loss of mantel integrity with volcanoes and earthquakes, and even massive asteroids smashing us to smithereens. But that’s not really the issue.

The issue is, “OK but what happens after that?” Isn’t that the point? By faith we either believe there is something that comes after The End, or we believe the end is The End. Pascal’s wager not discounted, we hope there would be some sort of reward for all the personal and communal suffering we’ve had to endure. Is The End really just The End?. In my own Hope and Faith I say, “Certainly not!” I just can’t prove “certainly” empirically, and that is why is it called “faith and hope.” I firmly believe this world will end, and that The End will likely be a messy affair. (↔ Click Link)  Turning again to Hope and Faith, I am banking on not being around when that Big Messy End comes about. Still, there is going to be an end. That gives rise to another issue: When?

“Any time now,” is the best I can do because “But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” (See Mark 13:32 or Matthew 24:36) Here is a list of predictions: [1] Now. [2] Later. [3] Some other time. [4] God knows but He’s not tellin’. I pick #4 because it’s Scriptural. In summary, there is most likely an end and it will occur most likely at a non-specified time with or without contributions from earthlings and/or other creatures, or perhaps from some outside contributions. What goes up must come down – what begins must end. If the universe is expanding, will entropy ultimately be The End? The best available advice is “Wait and see, but don’t get hung up on it.” Now let’s look into the meaning of “The Beginning of The End.”

That’s actually a bit easier to understand. There’s always some “tipping point” we must not go beyond. I heard recently that “If we don’t change our ways by the end of the next three years, we will reach a point of no return, and Earth’s ecologies and structures will collapse.” That would be “The Beginning of the End.” We could go to our calendars and write something like, “August 23, 2026, The Tipping Point was Exceeded and Earth’s ecologies and structures collapsed.” Oh, it probably won’t be instant annihilation – Earth’s ecologies and structures have been in constant collapse for millions of years (or 6,000 years if you buy into that view). What we find in Scripture (and not just Judeo-Christian Scripture) is that it’s likely to be sudden. Here we find it useful to STOP (please) and read Matthew 24:3-31 which we have cited previously. (↔ Click Search Link) See especially Matthew 24:8 in that passage. As I see it, we’ve been at The Beginning of The End for millennia. Recently, though, I’ve been thinking-feeling-seeing what looks like The End of that Beginning of The End.

We certainly have plagues upon plagues, famines, wars and rumors of wars, atrocities ranging from human trafficking to genocide, persecutions of Christians and of other religious entities around the world, ecological and structural changes in the earth and sky (“signs and wonders”), and in all of that one has to wonder, “Am I living in The Last of Days?” Well, for me, I certainly am I suppose. I’ve unpacked my life and laid it aside just waiting for that Long Slow Train Comin’. (↔ Music Link) Here’s the deal, and I hope you’re not going to get a burr in your saddle about this, but I all comes down to the APP. I want you to hark back to 1845AFC110918 – Once is Enough. There we find this Key Verse: Hebrews 9:26b – But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the age to remove sin by the sacrifice of himself. IMPORTANT: USE THIS LINK ì TO SEE THE PASSAGE IN CONTEXT. You see, The End is already done. Sin is death and death has died. We still sin, we still have our personal, mortal death to get through, but the APP says it’s all over but the Resurrection – and that’s where that Train is going. That post (try reading it, there’s plenty of good stuff there) ends like this: There is a long train coming. God may not throw us off the train, but that doesn’t stop us from deciding to jump off before we get to the depot. I live by this motto: Put your faith where your future is. It’s all going to catch up with us some day. Thank God we have his Divine Mercy (↔ Click Media Link) so we can deal with all of it.

This Sunday is Divine Mercy Sunday (↔ Click Link). On the Second Sunday of Easter of the Jubilee Year 2000, at the Mass for the Canonization of St. Faustina Kowalska, Pope John Paul II declared the Sunday after Easter be called “Divine Mercy Sunday.” (↔ Click Link) I remember that! (These days it’s remarkable that I can remember breakfast, much less something that happened 22 years ago!) This image is the display on my home-screen on my phone. The lock-screen is one of my favorite renditions of The Sacred Heart of Jesus (↔ Click Link). Now, someone will doubtless ask if I worship those images or pray to them. The answer is “NOPE.” They do remind me about my commitment to “Full-Time Christian Service,” (↔ Click Link) Later, in 1977, I made another special full-time commitment to remember and honor Jesus’ Sacred Heart in our home in Los Alamos, NM. In 1978, Crucita and I decided we would “spend all our money (both of our dollars), and get Christmas presents for everybody – including us. My Christmas present was a copper bas relief image of The Sacred Heart. (↔ Click Link) We bought it around December 19, 1978. On December 21, 1978 we got a call from the adoption agency we’d been working with: “We have a baby boy for you to take home. Can you come pick him up tomorrow?” At that time we had no money (plenty Christmas presents though), no crib, no diapers or bottles, no baby food, nothing a baby needs. We really went shopping! We loaded up our little blue Matador Coupe with all of that (even an ironing board!) and set up a baby room. For us, in those circumstances it was The Beginning of The Beginning.

We were just barely into our 30’s and it took ten years of trying before our first kid came along. Then, in 1981, a daughter showed up. We started another Beginning, and – as with all persons in all places in all times – things kept changing, and we kept getting closer to The End. Nonetheless, we were not, are not, will not quail about that. Have you ever noticed this phrase in these essays: “God’s Perfect Integrity, Endless Mercy and Eternal Salvation” somewhere in a post? God’s Perfect Integrity → “The Lord, your God, is One.” (Deuteronomy 6:4) God’s Endless Mercy → “His Mercy endures forever.”(Psalm 136:1-9) “And Eternal Salvation.” → (John 3:16-19) Recently the Holy Spirit revealed something else I should add to these “core characteristics.” Can you guess what it is? Here’s a hint: 1 John 4:19 and 1 John 4:8 . Yes ʻŌmea – it is LOVE, for God IS Love. When I consider God’s Wisdom and Love, Power and Restraint, and ponder the magnitude of his creation, these four things – Integrity, Mercy, Salvation, and Love – represent, to me, the core of his Omnipotence, Omnipresence, Omniscience, and Omnibenevolence. He is most certainly I AM WHO AM. He – THEY – have always been in charge in the Triune Glory of Eternity.

The End of the Beginning of the End is at the proper place in their Absolutely Perfect Plan. Since it is Absolutely Perfect, there is nothing we can say about it, do about it, or think about it that God-In-Three-Persons omitted. I am completely at Peace with that – I am held in Peace because: John 14:25-27 – 25 “I have said these things to you while I am still with you.26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.” HIS Peace becomes MY Peace. I do not hold my peace. I am held in Peace. I don’t have to worry, don’t have to fight, I don’t feel left alone. I have Jesus who is All I need or want because he is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. 1 Corinthians 15:21-22 – 21 For since death came through a human being, the resurrection of the dead has also come through a human being; 22 for as all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ. (↔ Music Link) I have, you have, we have that promise because Jesus took on every sin, every moment of pain, every abandonment and turned it into Glorious Praise to God Our Father.  Jesus did that …

F O R  O U R  S A K E.

There is nothing left to end or begin. It is all in God’s hands all the time. His Divine Mercy takes care of everything start to finish because it’s the Absolutely Perfect Plan – AND WE’RE PART OF IT! If you’re not 100% sure of that, please read 1 Timothy 4:7-10. (↔ Click Link) It is time to get right with God and neighbor. Please read Romans 13:10-15 then do this: Repent, therefore, and believe the Gospel.

Whatever, whenever, wherever, whoever, however, if ever, forever —
at your service, Belovéd!
Please pray with us here at Share-a-Prayer.

Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture passages are from the New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE) New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Biblical languages inserts from Bible Hub (Bible Hub: Search, Read, Study the Bible in Many Languages) Visit at http://biblehub.com

Creative Commons License
Aloha Friday Messages by Charles O. Todd, III is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License

 

Aloha Friday Message – THURSDAY, April 15, 2022 – Good Friday

April 14, 2022

2215AFC041522 – GOOD FRIDAY (on Holy Thursday)Read it online here, please. And please – when you visit there – use one of the social media links at the bottom of the page to share this post. Thank you! And remember, we now have a READER VIEW available, so share this link or this email often. Do you know someone who enjoys Bible study, or who might like to read this? Ask them to email us or to subscribe on our blog-site.

  John 20:1 – 1 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb.

Aloha nui loa. That could be translated “Much Love to you.” That would be accurate in spirit, certainly but perhaps is not adequate as a literal translation. Your Aloha Friday message comes today, Thursday, because tomorrow is Good Friday. Perhaps some of you will have the day off. Many of you will not; nonetheless, I want to send you my Easter greeting so that it will arrive before the weekend.When I was growing up in Denver, our family was active in our home church, Corona Presbyterian. It was in downtown Denver at Eighth and Downing. Our Pastor, Rev. Bob Lūtz, led a Sunrise Service every Easter at a nearby park, Cheesman Park. It covers about 81 acres and is located about a mile and half east of downtown. It started out as a HUGE area for a cemetery, and there are legends that it is haunted. For our family, though, it was a great place for church gatherings and summer-stock performances of plays and musicals.

The main feature of the park is the wide-open central lawn. It’s surrounded by a band of trees and has three structures. On the west is a small children’s playground, on the north is a rustic gazebo and on the east, the highest point in the park, is a large Neo-classical pavilion. The rest of the park is grass. In warm weather the slope down away from the pavilion, which you see pictured here, was a wonderful place to play, to picnic, to sunbathe, and to enjoy a quiet respite from the busy city. It also became a place of worship at least once a year. On the Saturday before Easter, the men of the church, particularly the deacons and elders, would go to the park and set up benches and chairs for the expected crowd which seemed to me to number in the thousands.It was a wonderful celebration and one which my dad thoroughly enjoyed. When I was invited to participate with him in getting the park ready for the service setting up sco0res of park benches; it was like a rite of passage and to this day is one of my most cherished memories. I particularly remember one Easter Sunday when we awoke to find about eight inches of snow had fallen and buried the park and all the seating we had worked so hard to set up the day before. The moment we knew, Dad and I sped off toward the park (we lived in University Hills about 20 miles away for downtown Denver), and joined a dozen or so other men who were rushing to clear the snow from the benches and chairs. I recall that this work was done cheerfully and with the expectation that the seats would be filled.

Well, as you might expect, attendance that year was pretty low. Despite the weather, the cold, and the diminished crowd, the spirit of the day was led by The Spirit. Our traditional Easter Greeting was, “The Lord is risen!” and the response was, “He is risen indeed!” That declaration and affirmation really resonated that particular Easter. For years after that, until my dad passed away on the day on his eighty-first birthday in 1997, one of us would call the other on Easter morning and say, “The Lord is risen!” And in that instant two hearts, two minds, two souls, two Servants lifted hearts, minds, hands, and voices to affirm “He is risen indeed.”

So, today, in anticipation of Easter, I say to you, “The Lord is risen!” and as you read this He will know that you are responding in your heart, in your mind, in your soul “He is risen indeed!” (↔ Music Link) Romans 8:10-11:  10 But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you.Happy Easter, Beloved. May the God of Peace and Light bless you richly with faith, wisdom, and determination to live in, with, and for the Risen Lord. And remember these useful tips:

A.S.A.P.!
There’s work to do, deadlines to meet;
You’ve got no time to spare,
But as you hurry and scurry-
A.S.A.P. – ALWAYS SAY A PRAYER

In the midst of family chaos,
“Quality time” is rare.
Do your best; let God do the rest-
A.S.A.P. – ALWAYS SAY A PRAYER.

It may seem like your worries
Are more than you can bear.
Slow down and take a breather-
A.S.A.P. – ALWAYS SAY A PRAYER

God knows how stressful life is;
He wants to ease our cares,
And He’ll respond to all our needs, so
A.S.A.P. – ALWAYS SAY A PRAYER. Lisa Englehardt

P’s Power ~~ Plan Purposefully, Prepare Prayerfully, Proceed Positively, Pursue Persistently!  May “P’s” be with you!!

  • Serving Him on Earth may not always garner the best wages, but the retirement plan is out of this world!!
  • Not all thorns have roses.
  • “God helps those who help themselves.” Hezekiah 9:9*
  • “God helps those who cannot help themselves.”
  • “God helps those who help others.” Vivian Gordon
  • “God helps everybody whether they know it or not, whether they believe it or not, whether they ask for it or not. Regrettably not everyone accepts that help.” Chick Todd.
  • Remember the smile on your face was put there by you, but the ability to do that is a Gift from God, so be generous with that gift!!·
  • People often don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.

Beloved pray for ALL the people, especially those who ask for our prayers, and for those who do not believe anyone will pray for them. We also pray that those who fear they cannot or should not be forgiven will find that God’s mercy exceeds all their fears.With great hope in my heart, I invite you to pull up these two lessons from last year for your devotional reading this Easter Week

2106AFC020521 – Searching in the Dark and especially 2114AFC040221 – While it was still dark  *And for you Bible Students, yes, I know there is no book in the Bible called “Hezekiah.” That’s why this famously popular “verse” is not in the Bible!

Whatever, whenever, wherever, whoever, however, if ever, forever —
at your service, Belovéd!

Please pray with us here at Share-a-Prayer.

PRAY FOR UKRAINE

Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture passages are from the New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE) New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Creative Commons License
Aloha Friday Messages by Charles O. Todd, III is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License  Originally posted under Aloha Friday Messages at https://aloha-friday.org – The Moon Beam Network – 615AFC041206

Aloha Friday Message – April 8, 2022 – Word Over Name

April 8, 2022

2214AFC040822 – Word Over Name

Read it online here, please. And please – when you visit there – use one of the social media links at the bottom of the page to share this post. Thank you! And remember, we now have a READER VIEW available, so share this link or this email often. Do you know someone who enjoys Bible study, or who might like to read this? Ask them to email us or to subscribe on our blog-site.

     Psalm 138:2 – 2 I will worship toward thy holy temple, and give thanks unto thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: For thou hast magnified thy [W]ord above all thy name. (American Standard Version (ASV) Public Domain)

Philippians 2:9-11 – 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.) Yes! Every Knee Shall Bow! (↔ Music Link)

Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us from God the Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, in truth and love. This coming Sunday is commonly called Palm Sunday. It is the beginning of Holy Week, the last days of Jesus’ life in human form. It begins with his triumphal entry into Jerusalem and ends with his torment upon the Cross. Are we ready for that Easter which includes Calvary and the Tomb?

Today I am going to give you links for the daily readings for Hoy Week. Think of it as a series of homework assignments. I encourage you to read the entire page you receive when using a link. After you finish the readings, use the Lectio Divina (↔ Click Link) method for reflection.

  1. Reading (lectio) – what do these readings tell you? What, in particular, resonates with your Spirit?
  2. Meditation (meditatio) – What is God trying to show you in these passages of Scripture?
  3. Prayer (oratio) – Share your conclusions with God in prayer – through your own praise, thanksgiving, contrition, or petition.
  4. Contemplation (contemplatio) – Take a few moments to silently reflect and listen for the Word’s Voice in your heart and mind.
  5. Actions (actio) – Take action to make changes in your life that affect your relationships with God and neighbor.

This won’t take much time out of our day, and we’ll find it prepares us to celebrate the Easter mysteries in ways that are both profound and delightful. God has given us the B.I.B.L.E. which contains over 7,000 promises, and most of them about his Absolutely Perfect Plan based on his Perfect Integrity, Endless Mercy, and our Eternal Salvation through Christ our Lord who is the Word made flesh. In your Lectio Divina, make it your daily recollection that God has “magnified his Word above all his name.” Every characteristic attributable to God – every name, every word, and every deed by which has revealed himself – ALL are secondary to his Word, “the name that is above every name.” Then – when Easter comes – we will know for certain that “every tongue [will] confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (↔ Music Link)

 

Here are the readings for the week: (Click the links to go to the pages)

4/11 Monday, Holy Week: Isaiah 42:1–7 / John 12:1–11

4/12 Tuesday, Holy Week: Isaiah 49:1–6 / John 13:21–33, 36–38

4/13 Wednesday, Holy Week: Isaiah 50:4–9a / Matthew 26:14–25

4/14 Thursday, Holy Week (Chrism Mass): Isaiah 61:1–3a, 6a 8b–9 / Luke 4:16–21

4/15 Friday, Friday of the Lord’s Passion (Good Friday): Isaiah 52:13-53:12 / John 18:1-19:42

4/16 Saturday, Holy Saturday: Genesis 1:1-2:2; Genesis 1:1, 26–31 / Luke 24:1-12

EASTER VIGIL April 16, 2022

Follow this link to get the Daily Readings sent to your email. That’s all for this week Belovéd.

Next week I am having two minor procedures done on my right hand – a carpal tunnel release and trigger finger (pinky) correction. I’m told I won’t be able to type for about SIX WEEKS!! We’ll see about that. But JIC, I’ve been practicing with speech to text.

***F*R*U*S*T*R*A*T*I*N*G*!!!***

Whatever, whenever, wherever, whoever, however, if ever, forever —
at your service, Belovéd!

Please pray with us here at Share-a-Prayer.

God himself tells us “My eternal Word is anchored in the heavens.”

Psalm 119:89-90 – 89 The Lord exists forever; your word is firmly fixed in heaven. 90 Your faithfulness endures to all generations; you have established the earth, and it stands fast.

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Aloha Friday Messages by Charles O. Todd, III is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License

 

 

Aloha Friday Message – April 1, 2022 – Time for an upgrade!

April 1, 2022

2213AFC040122 – Time for an upgrade!  

        Read it online here, please. And please – when you visit there – use one of the social media links at the bottom of the page to share this post. Thank you! And remember, we now have a READER VIEW available, so share this link or this email often. Do you know someone who enjoys Bible study, or who might like to read this? Ask them to email us or to subscribe on our blog-site.

Year A Restoration, resuscitation, but not Resurrection.

Ezekiel 37:14 – 14 I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken and will act, says the Lord.

Psalm 130:3-4 – 3 If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
Lord, who could stand?
4 But there is forgiveness with you,
so that you may be revered.

Romans 8:9 – 9 But you, you do not identify with your old nature but with the Spirit — provided the Spirit of God is living inside you, for anyone who doesn’t have the Spirit of the Messiah doesn’t belong to him.

John 11:14-16 – 14 Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. 15 For your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” 16 Thomas, who was called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”

Year C New and improved, without any warranty restrictions.

Isaiah 43:18-19a – 18 Do not remember the former things,
or consider the things of old.
19 I am about to do a new thing;
now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?

Psalm 126:6 – 6 Those who go out weeping,
bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy,
carrying their sheaves.

Philippians 3:8-9 – 8 More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith.

John 8:7b-11 – “Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 And once again he bent down and wrote on the ground. 9 When they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the elders; and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. 10 Jesus straightened up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, sir.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go your way, and from now on do not sin again.”

This weekend marks the Third Scrutiny for the Elect, the Catechumens preparing for the Sacraments of Initiation during the Easter Vigil Mass. That’s why we have front-loaded so much Scripture at the beginning of this post. I’m going to try to tie all of them together, and not overwhelm us with the outcome.

The theme for the Year A (Scrutinies) readings is Restoration, resuscitation, but not Resurrection. The theme for Year C (Regular Lenten Sunday) is New and improved, without any warranty restrictions. Now that’s not exactly biblical, but we’ll trust the Holy Spirit to make sense of it. We’re going to run the readings parallel || and make a few (we hope) short comments about them. The underlined portions are my-emphasis-added. Here we go!

Ezekiel 37:14 – 14 I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live AND Isaiah 43:18-19a 19 I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? That’s pretty easy to pair up, right? This is part of the account of “them bones, them dry bones.” God is promising that Israel will be restored and the restoration will make them better than ever because they will have his Holy Spirit flowing in them. And the end of Sunday’s passage he says, “you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken and will act, says the Lord.” That goes right along with Isaiah’s prophecy about “a new thing.” The Lord is telling Isaiah that HE is the one who put water in the desert and even the beasts of the desert acknowledge and honor him. What is this new thing? The renewal of Israel after their long period of penitence brought about by turning away from him. Should we not also long for that Spirit of Hope to come to us as we prepare for Passion Week and Easter? I encourage us to ask, “How and why have I been changed by my participation in this Lenten journey. Have I been restored and improved?” If for any reason our answer is not satisfactory to us, we still have time to work on it – the rest of our lives, or before Easter, whichever comes first. 😉

Psalm 130:3-4 there is forgiveness with you AND Psalm 126:6 come home with shouts of joy, carrying their sheaves. Psalm130  is counted among the “Penitential Psalms.” The Psalmist asks, “If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand?” When we hear this Psalm (↔ Audio Link!), we hear the sound of Hope. “I am a sinner, but you, O Lord, can make me whole.” Please recall that to be “made whole” is to be cleansed of any and all obstacles to worshiping at the Temple. Persons with blemishes on or in body or soul were prohibited from entry. Psalm 126, (↔ Click Link) , one of the “Psalms of Ascent,” expresses how one feels when we are made whole. The preceding trope says, “Those who go out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing.” Many of us have long-lasting trials and burdens, but God assures us that these times will not last. We can count on him to stand by us  (↔ Music Link) with unfailing help through all those ups and downs (or, for some of us, down and down and more down). I should also comment here that many times folks have wondered what is meant by bringing in “the sheeps.” Of course we can see that it says “bringing in the SHEAVES,” but what does that mean? It means that the work we do when hindered by sorrow brings the reward of a bountiful harvest in the end. As we often say here, “It’s always good in the end. If it’s not good yet, it isn’t the end yet.” God’s forgiveness is certainly a fine reason to shout for JOY!

We continue with Romans 8:9 – 9 But you, you do not identify with your old nature but with the Spirit AND Philippians 3:8-9 I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. We can see how this lines up with the reading in Ezekiel. We receive a renewal of Spirit, a new life. We are reminded of another Penitential Psalm, Psalm 51 (↔ Another Audio Link!), which says in verse 10 –  Create in me a clean heart, God; renew in me a resolute spirit. The Hebrew word here for “resolute” is kun {Koon} and it brings the image of firm, directed, stable, ready, and determined. That is certainly a “new nature” compared to our old and sinful nature inherited from our First Parents! Again, we often say here, “Why would you want anything less?” Compared to our restoration to Grace, there is nothing in this World that could be a greater harvest – BIG SHEAVES! WHEN IT’S TIME TO MAKE OUR Exodus from this Lent, we would do well to remember that with every Easter there is a Calvary and a Tomb. The Cross and the Tomb are of the World. Easter is of the Kingdom, and that’s where we’re going.

We’ll finish up with two truly remarkable Gospel readings – the story of Lazarus, and the story of the “woman taken in adultery.” We have John 11:14-16 “Lazarus is dead.” … “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” AND John 8:7b-11 – “Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” …  “Neither do I condemn you. Go your way, and from now on do not sin again.”  Lazarus, Margaret, and Mary were obviously close friends of Jesus. They lived in Bethany (Gr. Béthania Hb. Beit Anya) – a name which means “House of misery” or “House of figs/dates. It was also the home of Simon the Leper (See Matthew 26:6; Mark 14:3). Bethany is about two miles from Jerusalem on the way to the Mount of Olives and to Jericho. In the story of Lazarus we see that Jesus already knows that Lazarus is dead, but he delays going – and that baffles his Disciples including Thomas, Mary, and Margaret. Jesus waited four days to return to Bethany. Jesus tell them that Lazarus is only sleeping, then he sees that his Disciples cannot understand this meaning, so he flat out tells them Lazarus is d-e-a-d-dead. Jesus announces he is going to Lazarus’ house and Thomas bravely (↔ Click Link) – or pessimistically – says, “Let’s go die with him,” presumably referring to Jesus, not Lazarus. Ultimately, we all know, Lazarus is RESUSCITATED.  He is NOT Resurrected. He is brought back to life, but not Eternal Life in a Resurrected (i.e., perfected) body. That is what did and did not happen when Jesus said “Lazarus, COME FORTH!” (↔ Music Link)

In the account of the adulterous woman, she is at the threshold of death – about to be stoned by the community in accordance with the Law – for her sin. Catching her gives them the opportunity to test Jesus’ “purity,” his commitment to keeping the Law. He takes the curious step of squatting down and writing in the dust. We are reminded of Jeremiah 17:13 – 13 Hope of Isra’el, Adonai! All who abandon you will be ashamed, those who leave you will be inscribed in the dust, because they have abandoned Adonai, the source of living water. (Complete Jewish Bible (CJB) – Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved. Used with permission.)

Perhaps Jesus was writing the names of the sins committed in the community, or those of the woman, or perhaps even the names of those holding the stones. In the end, we know, that his challenge to them was to be Holy enough to cast the first stone. Although we are not privy to the woman’s confession of guilt (it was already obvious and she did not contest it against her accusers), we know Jesus saw her sorrow and fear outwardly, and her repentance in her heart. He did not accuse her but told her to CHANGE. As he says to us, “Repent and sin no more.” There an APP for that – God’s Absolutely Perfect Plan. How does it work? It’s simple. We just apply for an Extreme Makeover (↔ Click Link). As we saw last week, God is always standing on the Long Road Home, arms outstretched, waiting for us to turn to him (↔ Music Link). Belovéd, it really is just that easy. A pair of interesting questions came up last week that I absolutely must share with you (again):

What should I be afraid of if I do go to confession?
What should I be afraid of if I do not go to confession?

For our non-Catholic readers for whom conversion is not Sacramental –

What should I be afraid of if I do repent and believe?
What should I be afraid of if I do not repent and believe?

My Dearly Belovéd, it’s time to upgrade our copy of The APP. You can download it at your personal Church Home, or even here (↔ Click Link – really, try it, you’ll like it!) for an annotated copy of our B.I.B.L.E. Get into the Word and it will get into you! AND it’s guaranteed for All Eternity! UPGRADE TODAY!

Whatever, whenever, wherever, whoever, however, if ever, forever —
at your service, Belovéd!

Please pray with us here at Share-a-Prayer.

Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture passages are from the New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE) New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Biblical languages inserts from Bible Hub (Bible Hub: Search, Read, Study the Bible in Many Languages) Visit at http://biblehub.com

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Aloha Friday Messages by Charles O. Todd, III is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License

Aloha Friday Message – March 25, 2022 – Our Five Sons

March 25, 2022

2212AFC032522 – Our Five Sons

Read it online here, please. And please – when you visit there – use one of the social media links at the bottom of the page to share this post. Thank you! And remember, we now have a READER VIEW available, so share this link or this email often. Do you know someone who enjoys Bible study, or who might like to read this? Ask them to email us or to subscribe on our blog-site.

Year A

1 Samuel 16:11-13 –  11 Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, but he is keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here.” 12 He sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and had beautiful eyes, and was handsome. The Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; for this is the one.” 13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the presence of his brothers; and the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward. Samuel then set out and went to Ramah.

John 9:5-7 – 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 6 When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man’s eyes, 7 saying to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see.

Year C

Joshua 5:12 – 12 The manna ceased on the day they ate the produce of the land, and the Israelites no longer had manna; they ate the crops of the land of Canaan that year.

Luke 15:20-21 – 20 So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. 21 Then the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

Aloha nui loa, ʻŌmea! At the beginning of Lent I said we’d do something special for the middle Sunday, the Fourth Sunday of Lent  also called Laetare Sunday so named because of the Introit (entrance antiphon) which in Latin begins with “Laetare Jerusalem: et conventum facite omnes qui diligitis eam: gaudete cum laetitia, …” which means “Rejoice, O Jerusalem: and come together all you that love her: rejoice with joy, …” For this special Sunday, the vestments and church appointments are rose-colored (“pink”) to remind us that we are looking forward now to Jesus’ continuing final journey from Capernaum, through the Samaritan town of Ginae, on through Jericho, Bethany, Bethphage, and then his triumphal entry into Jerusalem. That is of course followed by his Passion, Crucifixion, Death, and Resurrection.

You noticed I have FOUR Key Verses today. That is because during this part of Lent – the 3rd, 4th, and 5th Sundays – we celebrate what is called “The Scrutinies” along with those who are preparing to receive the Sacraments of Initiation (← You know what to do here) at the Mass of the Easter Vigil.

In Parishes where there are no Elect (Catechumens), we continue with the Year C readings. Some of us will hear Year A this weekend and some of us will here Year C, so I’m putting both in this post. We’ve never done that before, so this is a Special Edition!

In the Year C readings we have two sons – Joshua the son of Nun who has inherited the leadership of Israel from Moses, and an unnamed decadent lad who has betrayed his family to satisfy his Worldly desires. Joshua will lead Israel into Canaan – the land promised to Abraham and all his generations and direct Israel in God’s campaign to rout all the evil nations from that territory. As soon as Israel had eaten of the fruit of their own labors, the sustenance from God – Manna – ended. Later, the reckless child of a loving father ends up starving in the Land of Plenty. Joshua was loyal to his God and his people’s inheritance. The youth who squandered his father’s inheritance repented. Always note that the father never gave up on his dissolute son, but watched for him constantly. When at last he saw him – and before the son even began his repentance – the father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. What do we say here? “Repent, and believe the Gospel.” While we are on our way to confession, God our Father is reaching out to us with open arms to embrace us for getting closer, close enough to express our contrition and to repent.

We have another pair of sons in Year A. first we have Jesse’s youngest, David. If you’re from a large family, you know that the children born last and late in life are the “baby of the family.” They are precious, and loved, and usually a bit (a lot!) spoiled. No one in Jesse’s family would expect that David was the one God wanted to anoint. “He’s just a kid! What can he do that these others cannot?” He had a heart like God’s heart, his thoughts were on God, in God, of God, from God, and constantly turned toward worship, service, and praise. He was the least likely in the family to amount to much, yet God chose him above all others.

The second son in that set of readings is an unnamed blind man. I don’t think this is the same guy as Bartimaeus (↔ Click Link) because the actions in this story are different from the account of Bartimaeus’ healing. This unnamed son gets healed because Jesus says so. This man did not ask Jesus to heal him. Jesus healed him because he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work. (See John 9:3-4). That darkness is what would later be called by the Apostle Paul as “This present darkness.” (↔ Click Link). I have often wondered if Jesus used the clay he made with his spittle to create new eyes for that man (from the dust of the earth as in Genesis 3:19). Whatever Jesus’ reason for this unusual method, the man was sent to clean up at the Fountain of Shiloh, the pool of Siloam. Because of his unquestioning obedience, he came back able to see. His trip to Siloam was an Act of Faith. Thereafter he again acted in faith and believed the Gospel. (↔ Click Link)

Up to this point we have looked a four sons – two of them have familiar names – Joshua and David. The other two are unknown, but their roles in Scripture are well-known. Now we come to the point where we look into the story of that last of the five sons in the title. Who do you think it is? Here’s a small hint: The meaning of his name is very similar to the name of one of the four sons previously named. Two of the sons are unnamed, so that leaves David and Joshua. Did you guess Jesus? Then you are right! Joshua in Hebrew is יְהוֹשׁוּעַ (Yehoshua) {yeh-ho-shoo’-ah} which means “the LORD is Salvation.” Jesus’ name in Hebrew is יְשׁוּעָה

(Yeshuah) {yeh-shoo’-ah} which means “Salvation.” An example of that usage can be found in Exodus 14:13 and Isaiah 52:10. He ultimately is known to the Apostles and many other Disciples as the Messiah – the Anointed One. He is the “Only Begotten Son of God” (See John 3:16-17 so that we can better understand what “Salvation in Jesus” means.) We also know that in Scripture he is referred to as “Messiah.” This Hebrew word is מָשִׁיחַ (mashiach) {maw-shee’-akh} which means “Anointed One.” That title was given to all the Kings of Israel and Judah. What does that have to do with this post? Let’s review what Samuel did: Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the presence of his brothers; and the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward. David was anointed. So was Saul incidentally. Joshua was anointed by Moses through laying on of hands. This marked Joshua (and his comrade Caleb) as having charismatic (giftedness) skills in administration and leadership, bravery and strategy. Moses, Joshua, David, and Solomon are all anointed by the Holy Spirit.

Who is this Holy Spirit, and who gives this anointing? He is God – the Almighty, Everliving God, our El Shaddai-Olam (↔ Click Link), God in Three Persons, Blesséd Trinity. Now of course you know that, so I’m going to go a bit deeper and ask if there is anyone you know who is anointed. Would you believe me if I told you that there are literally BILLIONS of people who have all been anointed? Catholics who have been baptized, confirmed, and/or ordained to the clergy are anointed with chrism, the oil of catechumens, the oil of consecration. We are anointed Priest, Prophet, and King so that through our lives as Disciples who have formed within our hearts and minds the intention of serving God and neighbor as intended according  the Scriptures we will sanctify our lives and the lives of family and neighbor through our actions as does a good and holy ruler. We will share and bear witness to the Divine Truths we know because of our closeness to God as all Prophets do. We use our Gifts from God to help lead others to the communities we share with others – family, church, school, workplace, and anywhere we interact with others for common purpose that leads to Good.

Now you can see that there is a “slight” error in our title for today. We looked at five sons, but we ended up with billions of sons and daughters who are Priest, Prophet, and King. And yet there is still One we did not put in the spotlight. He is that Only Begotten Son, and today is an important day to remember that. Hopefully we have all remembered the holiness of this day for the Church – for all Christian peoples of all times and places. Today we recall the very  crux of Infinity. I have said before that the place where the two loops cross is the Manger. I learned recently (thank you Brendan Case) that I need to back that up about nine months to the date of March 25th. Do you know what date that is in the Church calendar? It is the date on which everything in the B.I.B.L.E. is based – and most of us call it by the wrong name! It is indeed called The Feast of the Annunciation (TODAY!), but it is also the DAY OF THE INCARNATION! Through Mary’s fiat- her unqualified YES – Jesus was “incarnate of the Holy Spirit … and became man.” He became the Second Adam, the perfected joining of man and God, the Anointed, the Messiah.

Now we are prepared for Year A and Year C. If your Parish is celebrating the Scrutinies for this Lent, be sure to look up the readings before you go to Mass. You can find them here (↔ Click Link) If you scroll to the bottom of this page, you can enter your email address and have the daily reading sent to your email every day! Reach out to God. He’s watching down the road for you with his arms wide open.

Whatever, whenever, wherever, whoever, however, if ever, forever —
at your service, Belovéd!

Please pray with us here at Share-a-Prayer.

Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture passages are from the New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE) New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Biblical languages inserts from Bible Hub (Bible Hub: Search, Read, Study the Bible in Many Languages) Visit at http://biblehub.com

Creative Commons License
Aloha Friday Messages by Charles O. Todd, III is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License

 

 

Aloha Friday Message – March 18, 2022 – Bear Fruit or Get The Boot

March 18, 2022

2211AFC031822 – Bear Fruit or Get The Boot

Read it online here, please. And please – when you visit there – use one of the social media links at the bottom of the page to share this post. Thank you! And remember, we now have a READER VIEW available, so share this link or this email often. Do you know someone who enjoys Bible study, or who might like to read this? Ask them to email us or to subscribe on our blog-site.

“You’re preaching to the choir.” That’s probably true, but I’d like for the choir to share this with someone who hasn’t heard this tune before.

    Luke 13:9 – 9 If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to set us free from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen. We continue today with a series on metanoia – repentance. Why do I keep harping on this? I do so because it is important and way too many people do not believe that. I’ll say again here at the outset that this post is written by a Catholic in a Catholic point of view. We will refer again to The 7 R’s, and discuss some other points of interest. Let’s begin with the source of today’s Key Verse – the Parable of the Fig Tree. Jesus has just discussed the murder of an undisclosed number of Galileans who were killed under Pilate’s orders while offering their sacrifices. (See Luke 9:1-5) He also mentions 18 others who were killed when a tower fell down on top of them in Siloam (↔ Click Link). The point he makes there is that these seemingly meaningless deaths had nothing to do with the sinfulness of the deceased. God was not “punishing them.” Then he warns those who are listening: “but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did.” Is he telling them that they, too, will all die suddenly either at the hands of others (Romans for example) or terrible accidents? No, he is not. He is, however, telling them that their presumptions about their own righteousness and how it is guaranteed by their own piety will not preserve them from spiritual death. This is consistent with the entire Gospel message, indeed the central message of the B.I.B.L.E. – REPENT AND BELIEVE.

Today’s Key Verse was chosen because in this present darkness way too many of us believe that we can save ourselves from eternal separation from God. When stated so starkly, we will say, “It’s OK. I’ve got it covered. I know my limits, and I’m square with God.” Jesus is telling us, “Hold on sinner! Your repentance is incomplete.” I saw this little meme the other day, and it seemed to be perfect for today! I captioned it “Pride = Ooopsie.” I don’t really want to go into the “one and done” argument, but I will say that everyone – everyone – I know is in need of repentance more frequently than just once in a lifetime, once in a year, or once in a season (those “CEO Christians – Christmas-Easter only). In my faith-life, repentance is part of a Sacrament (↔ Click Link) called the Sacrament of Reconciliation. We’ll talk about that more shortly; first, though, we’ll look (again) at what repentance means.

We’ve stated here that it means to make a 180º turn back toward God. Did you know that Satan also wants us to repent? The Devil – the Foe, the Adversary, the Accuser – wants us to repent of our return to God and go back to serving his evil plans. No wonder we sometimes feel like we’re spinning like a maple seed! (Video Link!) There’s a key aspect of repentance we haven’t addressed here often: Permanence. Regardless of how we classify sins – mortal, venial, tiny, gigantic, stupid, secret, devastating, concupiscence, recurring, binding, and so on – the fact is that we try hard not to go back into Satan’s grasp by once again turning away from God, but it doesn’t always work and so we regain a blotch of sin on our souls. (Remember last week’s quote from the Apostle Paul in Romans 7:15-20 about not doing what he intended to do). Some of us think, “Oh well, everybody sins, and it’s not the end of the World if I do, too. After all I can always repent again.” There goes that arrow of pride right through the chink in our armor again! Let’s think about why we even have the opportunity to repent.

Christ died for the sins of the whole world (“whosoever,” remember?). He died for our sins – mine and yours – for the things that we do that offend God. Those things interfere with the fullest distribution of the love He gave us to share with everyone, including the people who sin against us. You see, Jesus made reparation to God for their sins too. So, He died for you, me, and for those who persecute us. Why not imitate Him better by praying not only for just those whom we love but also for people who have been, or are now, causing us pain? And since we know we can extend our prayers to them, can we not also pray for everyone who is praying with us or for us or about us? Should we then act further and also pray for everyone who will not or cannot pray? Or must we pray only for ourselves and for the few people who are willing to take the time and effort to remember us? Think about it, and then pray about it. Here’s what Frank said about that in last week’s post about repentance not lasting: “Unless you make it last. Think of it as a four-step process: Repent, believe, follow, repeat. When we repent and believe we are forgiven, that’s conversion. When we follow and repeat, that’s action. Conversion plus action equals … holiness.” ALL Christians should be following that four-step process. A few years back, we featured a process called The 7 R’s. Here is a brief outline summary:

Seven Key Words of Faith in God’s Forgiveness
1.  Recognition

  • See there is a problem
  • Know that it is sin
  • Know that I am powerless against it
  1. Remorse
    • I regret the outcome of my actions
    • I trust in God’s understanding of my sorrow
  2. Repentance

3.1.         I make a conscious decision to correct my thinking, my communications, and my actions

3.2.         I make that decision public through my actions

  1. Reconciliation
    • I am resolved to restore the relationships with God and with my community that I have damaged through my sin
    • I seek and accept forgiveness from God and my community
  2. Reparation
    • I am willing to atone and to offer compensation for the damage I have caused
    • I gratefully acknowledge expiation of my sins
  3. Renewal
    • I am transformed by the renewal of my heart, my mind, and my actions.
    • I make it my resolve to avoid the kinds of circumstances that enabled me to sin
  4. Rejoicing
    • I rejoice in the restoration of a right relationship with God and my community.
    • I share my rejoicing freely and still, with due humility, show respect for others

Our goal is to spend Eternity in Heaven with God and all his Angels and Saints. One of the main objectives we embrace to achieve that goal is continuous conversion. In much the same way we make “pray without ceasing” a reality by making our entire life a prayer (↔ Click Link), we can make continuous conversion a commitment to following the first 4 R’s daily. As the saying goes, “Easy to say, hard to do.” It’s hard for several reasons – we forget (the most common reason), we’re embarrassed (probably the second-most), we don’t recognize the sin in our lives (the beam versus the speck in Matthew 7:3), or (saddest and worst of all) we just don’t care. That last one explains a lot about the failure of the constant decline of participation in the Sacrament of Reconciliation – and that correlates with the constant decline and abandonment of family values. Now, I just said there are several reasons. The thing is those are really excuses, things we think or say in order to justify ourselves and our actions, and to redirect the blame elsewhere (Flip Wilson’s character Geraldine – “The Devil made me do it”). Satan can entice, confuse, accuse, or abuse us, but even he cannot force us to sin! Why is that? Because we have Free Will and therefore chose to sin even when we know it is wrong and separates us from God’s Good Grace.

Our Lord Jesus Christ instituted the sacrament of confession when he appeared to the disciples in the upper room after his resurrection.

[Jesus] said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain they are retained.” (See John 20:21-23)

From this moment on, Catholic churches and priests took on the ministry of forgiveness of sins, the power of forgiving, as a direct command from the Lord. This can be seen in the apostolic constitutions and other early Christian writings such as the Didache (↔ Click Link for the text). Many such writings can be found in the Catholic encyclopedia found at www.newadvent.org. Catholic Answers does a much better job of explaining in detail how the power of binding and losing sin was passed on than I can hope to present here. Consider this from Jethro Higgins, website manager for www.ocp.org: “Suffice it to say that Jesus chose to establish the ministry of reconciliation to obtain forgiveness of sins in a way that requires both the grace of God and the Church, the Body of Christ. The confession of sins and sacramental absolution were divinely inspired by the Father of mercies. The Church carries out His will and returns to God all the glory for He has chosen to share with us His mercy.” [i]

In summary, we can say that repentance should lead us to a state of continuous conversion which is possible by maintaining rigorous reflection on our thoughts, words, and deeds in light of the Gospel and the requirements of the Sacrament. That should, in turn, bring us to the decision and acceptance of Reconciliation. We can find the best success if we remember where we sin, and where we repent.

Where do we repent? To answer that question, we need to look at where we sin. Where do we sin? Is it a physical place? No, it’s not really like that. We can sin in any location – at home, at work, even in church. Sin is a spiritual predicament, a drawback in our day-to-day living that gets between our life and God’s Life. Our spirit comes from God and it is like him for God is Spirit, and we must worship him (and Love him) in Spirit and in Truth, so I would posit that it’s not in our Spirit that we sin – in fact I’d say we sin against our Spirit. So what does that leave? What part of our spiritual life isn’t Spirit? Let’s take a quick clue from Proverbs 20:9 – 9 Who can say, “I have made my heart clean; I am pure from my sin”? Looking back to Genesis 6:5, we read, 5 The Lord saw that the wickedness of humankind was great in the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually. It is in our hearts and minds that we sin. Imagination, the gift of thought, is one of God’s greatest gifts. It must have been in us even before the Fall, because Eve and Adam were able to imagine what it would be like to be more like God. That was the first instance where earthlings misused the gift of thought and instead of thinking up something good, something evil entered the heart and mind of humanity. The Hebrew word root used here is יֵ֫צֶר (yetser) {yay’-tser} – thought, the forming of ideas in the mind, imagination, mind, frame / framework. It is also translated as inclination of the human heart. If that is where we sin, perhaps that is where we begin to repent. What will we find if we look – right now – into our hearts? Will it be The Word? If so, we will be led to contrition. Contrition leads to repentance – or at least it should. This leads to extraordinary graces. You can read about those here: Psalm 103:1-5

Jesus spoke quite plainly about excising sin from your lives. We are to use our Free Will to choose God and not self. Those who fail to do that are subject to dire consequences up to and including eternal separation from God. It behooves us, then, to “Repent and believe the Gospel.” That is how we are to be pruned, cultivated, nourished, and avoid being booted out of our place in Paradise.

This post is about the Catholic Sacrament RECONCILIATION, especially the concept of Repentance. As such, non-Catholic readers may not agree with its content. We refer you to The 7ays R’s (/archives/8031) for more information.

Whatever, whenever, wherever, whoever, however, if ever, forever —
at your service, Belovéd!

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Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture passages are from the New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE) New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Biblical languages inserts from Bible Hub (Bible Hub: Search, Read, Study the Bible in Many Languages) Visit at http://biblehub.com

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Aloha Friday Messages by Charles O. Todd, III is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License

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[i]Higgins, Jethro ©2022 OCP Blog Series: Sacraments of Healing. All Rights Reserved Oregon Catholic Press 5536 NE Hassalo St.  Portland, OR 97213 Permission Pending

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