Disciple on a Crowded Bus

By Sherrie Coronas

“Did you say your prayers this morning?” asked Grams as she twisted and pulled my hair through a rubberband that arrived with our newspaper that very morning. Wincing from the stinging pain, I shook my head to let her know I had. “Good girl! Jesus loves you,” she said in her usual sing-song way. (more…)

Homily: We reflect on two Apostles,

By Peter Menkin

The October days are here,

We reflect on two Apostles

“he came and proclaimed peace to you who were far off”

Homily

Peter Menkin, Obl Cam OSB

Church of Our Saviour (Episcopal)

Mill Valley, CA USA

(North of San Francisco)

Wednesday Eucharist, October 28, 2009

Deuteronomy 32: 1-4

Ephesians 2: 13-22

John 15: 17-27

Psalm 119: 89-96 (more…)

Saint, Beware of the Accuser

By Fenny West

Saint, beware of the accuser

the deceiver, destroyer, Lucifer

come to kill, steal, tempt, dent

He is hell bound and evil bent

He has come with a great wrath (more…)

strategic placement

strategic placement
By beatrice ofwona

Measure not the work until the days out and the labor done.

Elizabeth Barret Browning

The beautiful greenery that had started to dot the roundabout was felled down. Alarmed, I inquired about the unpleasant development and was informed that it was all part of the exercise of paving way for the new road. A few days later, in the morning rush of work schedules, I noted the presence of a beggar who was obviously not taking any chances and who had strategically placed himself at the centre of the crossing footpaths. I smiled as I thought of how positioning sometimes really meant the difference between making it or not. (more…)

What does God require of us?

By Naomi Cassata

Have you ever been puzzled concerning what God requires of your life? I know I have. There have been several occasions I wished I could talk to God face-to-face and get some clear-cut answers. (more…)

Keeping your faith

Keeping your faith
By Fergus Davar

Hi people, I write again and again from this Sunday’s word in Church. You may make out the theme of this article from the subject but I won’t mention it till I get to the end.

I won’t be quoting much scripture to keep this article short and readable; this is a first from me. I’ll be talking from 1 Kings 18 & 19. Here is a little background. The tribe of Judah with their land has split from Israel. Israel has drifted from God & worships false gods & idols like Baal. The King of Israel then was Ahab and his wife was Jezebel. The famous prophet of God then was Elijah. (more…)

A GIFT FROM MELANIE story

A GIFT FROM MELANIE story
By Richard L. Provencher

A young sparrow’s nest was nestled in the top of a tall tree. Each day he watched Melanie play in her backyard.

A few weeks ago she moved to this huge house in the village of Greenfield, Nova Scotia. It even had an outdoor swimming pool (more…)

Passing Judgment, Judging Rightly

By William Ryzek

There is a great difference between passing judgment and making sound judgments. The scripture condemns the former and encourages the latter. One way of thinking about the difference is this: passing judgment is condemning someone or something without grace and mercy as though we have the authority to do so. Making sound judgments means to distinguish between good and evil and then choose the good. It also means properly understanding the true nature of reality. It is sometimes called ‘discernment’ in the scripture and shares the same root term (krino) from which ‘judgment’ and ‘judge’ (the ‘passing judgment kind’) are derived. Depending on which translation of the Bible you read, both the English words ‘discern’ and ‘judge’ are used to translate diakrino and anakrino. For example, the word diakrino is used in Hebrews 5:14 and anakrino in 1 Cor. 2:14 and both times the English word ‘discern’ is used to translate these different Greek words (KJV). But, in 1 Cor. 2:14-16 the word ‘judge’ is used to translate anakrino (KJV); i.e. so both ‘judge’ and ‘discern’ are used in some cases to translate the same Greek word. Because of this, I use the term ‘discerning judgment’ to try to capture both ideas. (more…)

Humility ; Key to Greatness

By Titilope oluwadare
AS CHRISTIANS, WE SHOULD HAVE THE “MIND OF CHRIST.”

Philippians 2:5-11

says “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: [ let this mind be in you] 6Who, being in very nature[a] God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place (more…)

Should we call God “Father” or “Daddy”?

By Jim Barringer

A couple of weeks ago, I sat in on a Bible study taught by an Israeli fellow named Baruch. The study itself was an exposition of Joel, which was very interesting in its own right, but one of the things that stuck with me was actually a side note that Baruch mentioned offhandedly. (more…)

Fasting Has Nothing To Do With Food

Fasting Has Nothing To Do With Food
By Michael Shoesmith

Fasting is not generally associated with anything pleasant or satisfying. Some cultures claim that fasting from food to the point of near death brings about a type of euphoria otherwise unachievable. I do believe this to be true. In fact some medical scientists believe that death by starvation may be the single most pleasant way to go if given the choice. But, for the most part people are just not into the whole fasting thing simply because of the image it conjures up. Going without food for extended periods of time is just plain distasteful. (more…)

Hopeless Battle

By Pam Ford Davis

Are you fighting a hopeless battle? We do not need to be on a foreign field to be entrapped and in desperate need of deliverance. Some fight the battle of addictions. Others battle loneliness or depression. All of mankind battles the lure of sin. Is our battle hopeless? (more…)

The Hardest People to Love

By Jim Barringer

Do you love your neighbor?

When Jesus was asked about the most important commandment in the whole Bible, he said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength; and love your neighbor as yourself.” The first part, if I may be a bit glib, is easy. All you have to do is think for a while about how badly you messed up your life, and how miraculously God saved you, and you really can’t help but love him. You can love him by yourself in the desert, like the ancient saints used to. Loving people while living in a world surrounded by them, on the other hand, is much harder. (more…)

The Relationship Between Fear And Anger

By Greg Baker

Psalms 90:11 – Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath.

Our greatest fears are the result of what we do not understand. Our minds have the capacity to create the worst scenario possible for a given situation. This creates fear. Fear, more often than not, creates anger. (more…)

For all the saint

By Anne Linington

For all the saints who from their labours rest

For those we read about in the Old and New Testaments:

The Patriarchs, Judges and Kings

Psalmists and Prophets (more…)