Merry Christmas to All!
This blog seeks to promote and establish ecumenism among all groups and denominations of the Christian Faith via expressions in written language, and through any means of communication. We seek the promotion of others that are working towards the same common goal, as well. The prayer of Jesus in John 17: 21 was: "I pray that they may all be one…." Ultimately and eternally, the creation of unity among all believers and followers of Christ is sought desiring harmony with and for all of humanity.
Tuesday, December 25, 2018
Sunday, December 23, 2018
Presiding Bishop Michael Curry Christmas Message 2018
Presiding Bishop Michael Curry
Christmas Message 2018
In the Third Chapter of John’s Gospel, Jesus says at one
point, “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that all who
believe in him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
For years, I’ve often thought that that passage only
referred to Jesus giving his life as a sacrifice on the cross. And to be sure,
that is part of what it means. But some years ago I was reading a commentary by
Raymond Brown, on the Gospel of John, and Professor Brown said that that
passage not only speaks of Jesus willingly giving his life on the cross, but it
actually speaks of Christmas, of God giving his very self, his very son to the
world, not for anything God could get out of it, but for the good and the
welfare and the well-being of the world. Of us.
Someone once said, in a Christmas poem, “Love came down at
Christmas.” That’s what love is. To give, and not to count the cost. To give,
not for what one can get, but for what the other can receive. That’s what love
is. God so loved the world, that he gave.
I realized recently how powerful that passage really is,
when I saw an old poster from 1938. A poster produced by the Episcopal Church
at that time, to encourage Episcopalians and other Christians, and other people
of faith and good will, to do whatever they could to help Jewish refugees
fleeing tyranny in Europe. To help people from all over Europe seeking refuge
in America, this land of freedom. The poster depicts Mary, Joseph, and the baby
Jesus. They’re fleeing persecution in Palestine, as Matthew’s Gospel says. And
the poster depicting Mary, Joseph, and Jesus says in the tag line, “In the name
of these refugees, help all refugees.”
God so loved the world, that he gave, even to the point of
risking his own son. And in the name of those refugees, in the name of that Jesus,
help all refugees, all people who suffer, anyone who’s alone, everyone who is
in need. That’s what love does.
Love came down at Christmas, because God so loved the world,
that he gave.
In those days, a decree went out from the Emperor Augustus,
that all the world should be registered. Joseph also went from the town of
Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem because he
was a descendent from the House of David. He went to be registered with Mary,
to whom he was engaged, and who was expecting a child. While they were there,
she gave birth to her first-born son, and wrapped him in bands of cloth and
laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
Meanwhile, in that region, there were shepherds, living in
the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then the angel of the Lord
stood above them. And the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they
were terrified. The angel said unto them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I am
bringing you good news of great joy for all people. To you is born this day, in
the City of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign.
You will find the child wrapped in bands of cloth, lying in a manger.”
And suddenly, there was with the angels a multitude of the
heavenly host, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and peace
to all people on earth.”
Have a blessed Christmas. Have a merry Christmas. Have a
joyful Christmas.
God love you, God bless you, and may God hold us all in
those almighty hands of love.
The Most Rev. Michael B. Curry
Presiding Bishop and Primate
The Episcopal Church
Sources:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZa07Cmqrm0
https://cnyepiscopal.org/2018/12/god-so-loved-the-world-that-he-gave-presiding-bishop-christmas-message-2018/.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZa07Cmqrm0
https://cnyepiscopal.org/2018/12/god-so-loved-the-world-that-he-gave-presiding-bishop-christmas-message-2018/.
Saturday, November 17, 2018
Mission!
'“Mission
is not an action or activity we can choose. It is an expression of daily life.
It belongs to the whole church and is not the function of just a few or of an
agency,” says Father Ioan Sauca, deputy general secretary of the World Council
of Churches (WCC)."'
Mission is and will always be the essence of Christianity.
Jesus gave us the Great Commission. Saint Paul followed the instructions of
Jesus, and today we are Christians because of that fact. Read the full article
at the link below.
Reference:
https://www.oikoumene.org/en/press-centre/news/mission-is-the-essence-of-christian-life-says-orthodox-theologian.
Saturday, November 3, 2018
Thursday, October 11, 2018
Arango's Apologetics Page: When the Son of Man Comes, Will He Find Faith on Earth?
I hope everyone is doing well. Just sharing a recent post from the sibling blog! Click on the link below to be guided to it. Blessings!
Arango's Apologetics Page: When the Son of Man Comes, Will He Find Faith on Earth?: "And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” The preceding quote is from Jesus and it is taken out of con...
Arango's Apologetics Page: When the Son of Man Comes, Will He Find Faith on Earth?: "And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” The preceding quote is from Jesus and it is taken out of con...
Sunday, September 9, 2018
Monday, September 3, 2018
Is The Museum of the Bible Exploiting Jewish Tradition?
'"According
to traditional Jewish law, decommissioned Torah scrolls are to be either buried
in a Jewish cemetery or stored in perpetuity in a genizah, a dedicated
synagogue space for out-of-use ritual objects. Damaged scrolls can also be
restored and rededicated for ritual use, while those that survived the Nazi era
are permitted to be displayed in exhibits dedicated to documenting the
Holocaust, as they are, for example, at the Holocaust Museum a few blocks
away...
...These
scrolls, the heritage of European Judaism, now sit in a display case at the
museum or in storage, in the possession of one of the world’s most prominent
evangelical families. Carroll noted that this situation may result in an
unfortunate impression: “The Greens in some way have built... a Christian
museum on the backs of Jewish items (www.thedailybeast.com).”'
The foregoing are excerpts from an article by Candida Moss
and Joel Baden for the Daily Beast. I will be sharing the article on here.
Basically, I am hoping people will understand the idea the article is conveying,
as well as the reality of what the museum has done, thus far with relevance to
the collection of Torahs. Moreover, the article states the following: “According
to Jeffrey Kloha, director of museum collections, of the 2,559 items owned by
the museum, some 1,835 are Torahs—scrolls.” I suppose that I just want to share
and let everyone decide what it is you personally think. I am sure that one can
contact the museum to verify all the details. Read the full article below.
The Museum of the Bible Is Exploiting Jewish Tradition—And Saving Its Evangelical Christian Donors Millions
Reference:
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