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.

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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 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 (https://aloha-friday.org/archives/8031) for more information.

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

______________

[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

Aloha Friday Message – March 11, 2022 – A Frank & Earnest Summary

March 11, 2022

2210AFC031122 – A Frank & Earnest Summary – With Special Addendum for online readers

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. o 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.

   Luke 9:29 – “While he was praying his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white.”

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. This is the second portion of the 2022 Lenten series called Lenten Reruns. Last week we said we would look back at A Frank & Earnest Conversation – a three-part study on metanoia. Metanoia is that deep, complete conversions that Jesus often spoke about when he told us to repent. Rather than put all three “acts” into this post, we’ll take a few excerpts. As a reminder you can find all of the dialogs at Catholic365 or at The 2019 Lenten Series Part 2, Series Part 3, and Series Part 4 (it’s a “3-act play”). You can find the whole thing in one piece if you Read it online here: https://aloha-friday.org/archives/13514 – thanks.

The unifying theme for this Sunday’s reading are transformation. We learn of Abram’s covenant with God to inherit the Land God set aside for Abram and his descendants. The Apostle Paul reminds us that Jesus will transform our mortal bodies to be consistent with his Glorified body. In the conversation between Frank and Earnest, the unifying idea is also transformation – from sinner to redeemed sinner. Here are a few excerpts from the Frank and Earnest Conversation:

F: Hi, I’m Frank.

E:  And I’m Earnest.

N: I’m the Narrator. (My comments will look like this.)

E: So Frank, you look a little down. What’s going on?

F: Oh, you know. It’s Lent. Time for the whole “fasting, prayer, and almsgiving” thing – and then there’s the Sacrament of Reconciliation. I don’t know why they had to change the name. “Confession” seems good enough to me.

E: What part of that has you worried?

F: Oh, it’s not that I’m worried about it so much. It’s just that … well confession seems to get harder and harder. I don’t know why we repent if all we do is just go out and do the same sins over and over. It’s like “what’s the point?” any more.

E: Well that’s a good question. What is the point?

F: The point is to be reconciled with God and neighbor. You know that! We have Reconciliation because we trust God’s justice and mercy.

E: Yes, that’s why we can – and do – repent. God is just and merciful, your confessor is trained not to be judgmental, and there’s always the Seal of Confession, so what exactly is bothering you?

F: I guess it’s the repentance part. I just don’t seem to get that done right. No matter what I do, it just doesn’t stick. I’m still so angry all the time, and ashamed. The way I’ve acted toward Ethel and the kids, even stopped going to Mass because I don’t want to sit there and not go to Communion because everybody will know I haven’t gone to Confession. Repentance seems impossible.

~~~~~~~~~~~

F: Think about this: How did you stop smoking 7 years ago?

E: I stopped buying the nasty things.

F: That was the first day. Did you buy any the second day? The third day? The first year? Yesterday?

E: No. Why?

F: You quit by continually quitting, right? How about your medicine for diabetes? What happens if you don’t take it?

E: I get sick and die?

F: Right! Now, let’s remember what Jesus said at the start of his ministry: “Repent and believe the Gospel.” That’s the process called conversion. You decide to change, to embrace “metanoia,” and then you place your faith in him. That’s conversion. (↔ Click Link) Once you experience conversion, you’re ready to follow him. Remember? “Come, follow me.”?

E: That’s all well and good, but it doesn’t last.

F: 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.

E: I don’t know. It sounds too easy. And, like I said, it doesn’t last.

F: Ernie, it’s never “once and done.” Remember, it has to become a habit – like not smoking. Most days you don’t even have to think about that, right? Repentance works pretty much the same way. If Jesus is as real to you as he was to the Disciples at the Ascension, then you know he’s always there for you, always coming back to you in the Sacraments. AND you’ve got the Holy Spirit to help you, too. Repentance opens the door to holiness.

~~~~~~~~~~~

F: [The Narrator and I] are just trying to tell you two things [1] if you sincerely confess your sins, there’s forgiveness – you acknowledge your sins and repent. That’s necessary because repentance is turning away from sin – which we recognize and regret – so that we turn again toward God. In this case, repentance involves something many people don’t think about: Conversion.

E: You mean like the “born-again Christians” on TV?

F: In a way, yes, we do need real conversion. Here, let’s ask that Narrator again for some help.

N: (CCC §1427: Jesus calls [us] to conversion. This call is an essential part of the proclamation of the kingdom: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the gospel.” §1429 St. Peter’s conversion after he had denied his master three times bears witness to this. Jesus’ look of infinite mercy drew tears of repentance from Peter and, after the Lord’s resurrection, a threefold affirmation of love for him. The second conversion also has a communitarian dimension, as is clear in the Lord’s call to a whole Church: “Repent!” St. Ambrose says of the two conversions that, in the Church, “there are water and tears: the water of Baptism and the tears of repentance.” §1431 Interior repentance is a radical reorientation of our whole life, a return, a conversion to God with all our heart, an end of sin, a turning away from evil, with repugnance toward the evil actions we have committed. At the same time it entails the desire and resolution to change one’s life, with hope in God’s mercy and trust in the help of his grace. This conversion of heart is accompanied by a salutary [=beneficial] pain and sadness which the Fathers called animi cruciatus [affliction of spirit] and compunctio cordis [repentance of heart]. Emphasis added.)

F: It’s that interior repentance, the “radical reorientation of our whole life” you seem to be wondering about. Trust me, everyone feels the same way, like we should be able to stop being so sinful. Even the Apostle Paul wrote about that.

N: (Take a look at what the Apostle Paul said: Romans 7:15-20 – 15 I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree that the law is good. 17 But in fact it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me.)

~~~~~~~~~~~

E: Like that song “Just As I Am?” (↔ Music Link) [Just as I Am full lyrics]

F: Not quite. Jesus expects you to repent, not just show up without doing anything about your sin. He does certainly accept you as you are as a sinner – you don’t have to wait until you’re holy to repent, because you repent to approach holiness – but he wants you to take it through to the process of conversion. Remember he said, “Repent, and believe the Gospel.” Believing the Gospel without repentance will leave you dissatisfied. Is that how you feel now?

E: I admit, I was feeling like that, but I feel have some things to think about. It seems that metanoia is a change not only in heart and mind but also – and most importantly – a change in actions and behavior. I can change my actions and behavior at least a little and if it doesn’t last long, I can try again, right?

F: That’s right. There’s no limit (N: ← Check it out!) on how many times you can repent – of anything or everything – as long as it includes the aspect of conversion – that “firm purpose of amendment” in the Act of Contrition. Conversion is the key to sincere contrition and effective repentance no matter how many times you have to do it. Because Jesus is as real to you as he was to the Disciples at the Ascension, then that should help you realize that you’re confessing to him, not “just Fr. Kelly.” That’s because God’s Mercy is the result of his Justice being dispensed in Love that is so complete and unwavering, so steadfast and constant that we cannot comprehend its full extent. The best we can do is to think of Grace, “the free gift and unmerited favor of God,” which is always available to everyone.

~~~~~~~~~~~

E: Yeah, I see; it really is like “Conversion plus action equals … holiness.” But riddle me this, Frank, how come we have to go to a Priest and everyone else just goes directly to God? Why can’t we do that, too?

F: The Church teaches that Reconciliation is a Sacrament, not a DIY project. Because it is a Sacrament, it is firstly instituted by Christ, secondly carried forward by the Church, and thirdly must be conducted by Ordained Clergy with the authority to perform the Sacrament. Not all Christian churches treat Reconciliation as a Sacrament. Our Church does.

E: So you’re saying that Ordination makes it possible for a Priest to forgive sins, is that right?

F: Almost. Think about the prayer of absolution the Priest says: “God, the Father of mercies, through the death and resurrection of his Son has reconciled the world to himself and sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins; through the ministry of the Church may God give you pardon and peace, and I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, X and of the Holy Spirit.” God has reconciled us to himself, and it is through the ministry of the Church that God pardons us at the moment when the Priest exercises his Sacramental authority, received during his ordination, to carry out Christ’s instructions found in John 20:21-23. Hey, Narrator, how about a little help with that?

N: (Sure thing: 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” 22 When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”)

~~~~~~~~~~~

E: I see what you mean. Every repenting followed by reconciliation is a new beginning – like the Apostle Paul said – and all I need to do is accept that this is the will of God for me and believe firmly in his divine wisdom, justice, and mercy. That makes a lot more sense than skipping confession because I think it makes me look bad. I already know how I look; I look like a sinner, but I also already know how I can look. I can look like a redeemed sinner!

(↔ Click Link in the image)

F: Brother, you bring joy to my heart to hear you say that. And if you listen carefully you will hear the Angels rejoicing, too. God bless you, Ernie!

E: I guess I understand now why so many of us don’t repent, don’t seek the Sacrament of reconciliation. It’s Pride. Talk about “stiff-necked people!” It has been my lack of – my refusal to accept the importance of – humility in my life. Humility is, in a way, a masterful blend of the Four Cardinal Virtues – Prudence, Justice, Fortitude, and Temperance. Humility gives us the power to be a statesman rather than a politician, a servant rather than a ruler, and a child of God rather than a spawn of evil. Humility is the form of Love Jesus showed by coming to us as an infant – helpless, impoverished, homeless, and yet mightiest of the Mighty.

F: Well said Ernie! With that attitude, you really can Go Make A Difference. (↔ Music Link) It’s that lack of humility that seems to negate our awareness of sin. We no longer have a sense of sin, what it is, or how much it affects our lives. We excuse it by telling ourselves “Oh, it’s not all that bad,” when instead we still consciously and knowingly choose to disobey God’s call to holiness. We conclude we’re not as sinful as everyone else and so we don’t need to repent. That is a serious error, and it’s really hurting the Church. Ernie, your moments of holiness, along with many other’s moments, can actually help all of us correct that error.

N: (Thanks for tuning in. Someday we might continue this conversation, but that’s all for now.) Scroll to the end for the Special Addendum for online readers

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

Special Addendum for online readers

This is a special “Bonus Addendum” for readers who used the online link to this post. It’s just a couple of extra things to remind us that what we really need is continuous conversion. This little verse is something my wife, Crucita, and I used in the Annual Dedication Mass for our Son, Timothy. We prayed for a child for 10 years. For the last three of those years we worked with social workers, adoption agencies, lawyers, and the courts until we completed our first adoption in December 1979. This was Timothy’s portion of the special votive mass we put together for this memorial of the day we returned him to God – just as Hannah returned Samuel to God. Timothy would read …

What can I give him? Poor as I am
If I were a shepherd I would give a lamb
If I were a wise man I would do my part
But what I can I give him?
Give him my heart.

From In the Bleak Midwinter a Song by Christina Rossetti and Gustav Holst

And here is the reason all of us should be careful when we teach, or are being taught, the importance of continuous conversion.

Aloha Friday Message – March 4, 2022 – Lenten Reruns

March 4, 2022

2209AFC030422 – Lenten Reruns

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.

         Sirach 17:24-29 – 24 Yet to those who repent he grants a return, and he encourages those who are losing hope. 25 Turn back to the Lord and forsake your sins; pray in his presence and lessen your offense. 26 Return to the Most High and turn away from iniquity, and hate intensely what he abhors. 27 Who will sing praises to the Most High in Hades in place of the living who give thanks? 28 From the dead, as from one who does not exist, thanksgiving has ceased; those who are alive and well sing the Lord’s praises. 29 How great is the mercy of the Lord, and his forgiveness for those who return to him!

E pili mau na pomaika‘i ia ‘oe a me ke akua ho’omaika‘i ‘oe, ʻŌmea! (May blessing always be with you and may God bless you, Beloved!) I hope all of you are well, or at least as well as can be expected. I want to give a little Praise Report here about MB who has been on the Intercessory Prayer List for “a while.” We have great news thanks in part to your prayers, her hard work, and her doctors. Recently we just learned that in just over a year three tumors have disappeared.  And the right-side thyroid had partially grown back.  The new sonogram was normal. Vision check showed that the hole in the right macula had healed. This is but one of the many positive reports we get from people listed on the Intercessory Prayer List. We all thank you for your prayers, and encourage you to send up a shout of ALLELUIA! AMEN! for those of us who have benefited from your prayers. Now let’s get to the business at hand.

I’ve had lots of “reflection time” over the last several weeks, and much of it centered on what we’re doing with these essays – are they important enough to keep doing? Are they too much? What’s the most important message over the last – say – three years? I am, admittedly, surprised by how the Spirit answered those reflections. It was one simple word, one that I’ve said over and over and over. This go-’round, though, I’m going to temper that message a bit with quotes and comments. The quotes will be from the 2019 Lenten Series.

Instead of just copy and paste, I want to reiterate what stands out as most important in those older posts. They begin with 1910AFC030819 – 2019 Lenten Series #1. The series was, and will be, about repentance. As I watched the news over the past 12 days, I felt a great burden to repent personally and as a nation – even as a Church – for the terrible things that are happening. The attempt to codify “abortion rights,” WAR, murder-suicides, citizen attacks on police and police attacks on citizens, clergy making statements that are clearly wrong, “progressive Christianity” spewed throughout many denominations, satanic conventions – what a MESS! So, we are going look again at repentance and metanoia. (Originally posted under Aloha Friday Messages at https://aloha-friday.org – The Moon Beam Network).

Today is the first Friday of Lent, 2022 and the beginning of a REPEAT series on the word metanoia. That word has come up before a few times, but in this series we will be using it often. It is a word Jesus used at the beginning of his ministry and the Apostle Paul also used it (although not always where we correctly remember him saying it.) Here are three examples. The first is from John the Baptist in Matthew 3:2, Mark 1:4, and Luke 3:3 – 2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” The Second example is from Jesus at the start of his ministry in Matthew 4:17, Mark 1:15, and Luke 5:32 – 17 From that time Jesus began to proclaim, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” The third example appears first in Acts 2:38 in Peter’s Pentecost Preaching – 38 Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

REPENTANCE IS THE KEY that opens the door of the Gospel so we may enter into the community of the Church. The foundation of that Church is Love and the corner stone of that foundation is Christ. The walls are built of Faith and Hope, and the Roof is Charity. I’ve lost count of how many times we have said here, “Repent and believe the Gospel.” Is that redundant? Probably it is redundant but nonetheless repetitious. “Repent” appears more than 20 times in the New Testament. In my ripe old age, I begin to understand that if God keeps repeating something, it must be important. Throughout the Old Testament we have account after account of God telling Israel or even a specific individual to repent – to acknowledge sins and return to the Lord. We know that repentance is an integral part of God’s plan for salvation, and metanoia is the word most often used in both the Old Testament and New Testament for the concept of repentance. Let’s make a quick review of the definition for metanoia. The word in Greek looks like this: μετάνοια, – metanoia {met-an’-oy-ah}. It is a change of heart, a change of mind, or a change of direction as in a one-eighty turn.

Metanoia is to move beyond where our hearts and minds are and into a new paradigm, a new way of thinking and feeling and seeing everything in life. When we repent, we have a change of mind – not a renewing of mind (See Romans 1:12). Another way to think of it is we quash, break, nullify, defeat, or conquer a temptation that is repeatedly before us; we break a bad habit; we realign our values-system so that it aligns more closely with God’s values. WE make an effort to sin less even though we know we can never be sinless. Repentance restores our relationship with God, and often it also restores our relationships with community, family, and friends. It gives back to us the “whatever or the whomever” we lost because of sin; it even gives us back to us. It’s not a matter of time – how long we are away, or of intensity – how greatly we’ve sinned. It is a matter of turning around and going back, repenting.

Repentance restores us back to God. God doesn’t move away from us, he doesn’t take off to some mountaintop and sulk because we’ve decided to ignore him. No, he stands at the ready, eager for us to turn around and say, “Father! Abba! I’m back!” We have come back to God, and suddenly we discover God is “back with us.” He watches for us, reaches for us, comes out to meet us like the benevolent father watching for his prodigal child. He made us and redeemed us for the sake of Love – his Love. God and the angels in heaven (and saints, too, I reckon) rejoice as a community over our repentance. Why? Because that means they will get to share eternity with us – with God and the angels and saints. But there’s one angel that will not rejoice. He’s the angel that says (and is always telling us), “What’s in it for me?”

“What’s in it” is receiving Eternal Life – first spiritually, then as a spirit, then as a resurrected child of God. Sounds like a mighty-good deal to me! Just make a U-Turn and get back to the Creator. Stop worshipping the creation and Worship the King (↔ Music Link – another repeat).The requirement of repentance is Contrition. Psalm 51:17 – 17 The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Contrite: Sorry; remorseful; repentant; regretful; apologetic; penitent; ashamed. Contrition is the a priori condition for repentance. If we only recognize our sin, we are aware we are sinful, but if we recognize and regret our sin – when we feel remorse, sorrow, shame for what we have done – we have achieved contrition. Add humility to that by understanding that regretting sin is not the same as repenting sin, (↔ Click Link) and we realize we must “go and sin no more.” We don’t ask God to change us, we don’t ask God to change the rules in the APP, we do command ourselves to turn around and give up the pretense that we can excuse our guilt because we “really didn’t mean it.” “PANTS ON FIRE!” We have the B.I.B.L.E. for our edification, and it tells us in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 – 16 All scripture is inspired by God and is] useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work. All we have to do is pay attention to what we’ve had all along – Logos – The Word.

Psalm 119:10-11 – 10 With my whole heart I seek you; do not let me stray from your commandments. 11 I treasure your word in my heart, so that I may not sin against you. When we choose to face the fact that we are sinners, we have to make an intelligent, objective assessment of what is in our hearts and for that “you have to use your head.” I’m betting that both you and I can say that often when we sin, it’s because we weren’t using our heads … or we were misusing our imagination! We use our mind to recognize the effect of sin. We feel the effect, but until we admit that our discomfort is the result of sin, we can’t repent. Why is that such a barrier? Well, we hate to admit we are wrong even when we know that being wrong is wrong and not doing anything about it is more wrong (wronger?) Why would we rather remain in sin? Usually it’s because the Great Liar is telling us all the “terrible things” we’ve done in our past, and that God can’t possible love or forgive such an evil person. “PANTS ON FIRE!” How many times are we allowed to repent? Is 4,357 (↔ Click Link) too many, or not enough? Does it take a lot of courage to admit we’re wrong? Not if we start with contrition. We must look for the circumstances, the stops on the Road Home, where we sin.

“Where” we sin is in our hearts, and that is where our repentance must begin as well. Our μετάνοια – metanoia – must begin there to be effective. Turn back to the Lord and forsake your sins; pray in his presence and lessen your offense. God himself has told us he will forgive our sins and remember them no more (Jeremiah 31:34 – 34 No longer shall they teach one another, or say to each other, “Know the Lord,” for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more.  (See also Hebrews 8:12, 10:17). That’s a pretty good deal for just turning around and going back! And it’s not really all that much trouble, either. The Word is right where God left it and we treasured it – in our hearts! Deuteronomy 30:14 – 14 No, the word is very near to you; it is in your mouth and in your heart for you to observe. Listen – he is calling us Come Back to ME. (↔ Music Link) Can any of us ever say, “I never left.” Only God can say that, and he says it to us every day – if we listen to his side of the conversation!

When we listen carefully, we will hear him plainly say, “PAID IN FULL. FORGIVEN!” (↔ Music Link) How great is the mercy of the Lord, and his forgiveness for those who return to him!

In the 2019 Lenten Series we presented “A Frank and Earnest Conversation.” You can find that at Catholic365 or at The 2019 Lenten Series Part 2, Series Part 3, and Series Part 4 (it’s a “3-act play”). Next week we will do a summary of those 3 articles, and for week three of 2022 Lent we will do a quick review of The 7 R’s. For the Middle Week of Lent, we’ll do something special for Laetare Sunday.

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

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