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Posts Tagged ‘Lent’

Something We all Can Give Up for Lent

February 22nd, 2015 No comments

For Western Christianity, February 18 was Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent.  For as long as I can remember, I have heard Roman Catholics and Protestants of many denominations talk about what they are giving up for Lent.  I was reared in a Congregational Church, known now as the United Church of Christ.  We knew what Lent was, and there was mention of Lent from the pulpit.  But, as I remember, there was no emphasis on giving up anything.  Certainly, my parents, who were very active in the Church, never talked about it with my brother and me.  As an ordained clergyman, I have pretty much adhered to my childhood rearing, and I never stressed the need for, or the importance of, giving up things during Lent. 

 

But this year I am changing that.  I know of something that we all can and should give up–Roman Catholics, Eastern Christians, and every Protestant regardless of his or her denomination.  But before I get to that, in order to have a better understanding of the Lenten season, let’s just review some basics. Read more…

Jesus the Strategist: Part II

May 3rd, 2014 2 comments

There had been all kinds of rumors about the man Jesus of Galilee.  He had left his home and spent most of his time with a band of twelve other men.  He appeared to have unusual powers.  Some claimed that he had healed their sick. Others said that he had cured their lame.  There were those who even claimed that he could cast out evil spirits.  

 

He was a man of considerable authority, yet he was very kind.  There were those who suggested he was the expected Messiah, the chosen of God, who would bring freedom and new life for the Jewish people.  But up until then, he had made absolutely no overture toward establishing a kingdom.  On the contrary, as pointed out last week, he had always dismissed large crowds.  But on the Sabbath of Palms, Read more…

Jesus the Strategist: Part I

April 5th, 2014 1 comment

Palm Sunday is only one week away.? Have you ever stopped to think about what Jesus did the week before the original Palm Sunday?? There were two ruling authorities in Palestine at that time: the political government that was definitely the ultimate authority, and the religious leaders, whose religious practices could be different from region to region.? Let?s take a detailed look at how things were in Palestine at that time and how Jesus responded to them the week prior to Palm Sunday.?

 

The Roman emperors had done a superb job of taking control of the more distant and border areas of the Empire, like Palestine, and of keeping peace in these more remote areas after taking them over?all without the use of force or weapons.? How did they do it? Read more…

The Storyteller

March 15th, 2014 Comments off

Almost everyone enjoys a good story, especially when the storyteller has a real talent for relating stories.? That is one of the reasons the parables of Jesus have attracted the interest of people from all walks of life dating as far back as the beginning of Christianity.? Jesus was a master storyteller.??

It was the genius of Jesus to use real-life stories?parables?to unite our vertical connection to the Almighty with our horizontal connections to all of life.? If the parables are properly understood, they make God real and foremost in understanding all of our relationships in our daily lives: personal, social, political, professional, recreational?yes, through the parables we can be connected to God in all that we think, say, and do, to life itself.? Read more…

The Observance of Lent

March 4th, 2014 Comments off

This coming Wednesday, March 5, is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent.? Let?s take a look at the historical emergence and spiritual significance of the Lenten season.?

Lent starts on Ash Wednesday and ends on the day before Easter.? The six Sundays of this time-span are not considered part of Lent.? Only weekdays are included in Lent.? Hence, Lent is the forty weekdays beginning with Ash Wednesday and concluding with the day before Easter.

But how is it that the church adopted ?forty? as the number of weekdays in Lent?? Read more…