"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6 Moses is speaking to the Israelites, reassuring them as he prepares to hand over leadership to Joshua. He knows he soon will die, and the Israelites must go on without him, … Continue reading The banks of the Jordan
Month: May 2018
A prayer for oneness
All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be … Continue reading A prayer for oneness
Asking in the name of salvation
Very truly, I tell you, you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice; you will have pain, but your pain will turn into joy. Very truly, I tell you, if you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. John 16:20, 23b Jesus has just told the disciples he'll … Continue reading Asking in the name of salvation
Align off the true cornerstone
The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes. The Lord has done it this very day; let us rejoice today and be glad. Psalm 118:22-24 When a mason constructs a foundation, the first and most important stone is the cornerstone. The placement, elevation and orientation of this stone … Continue reading Align off the true cornerstone
Celebrate true patriotism this weekend
It’s Memorial Day weekend, which means it’s time to dust off those flags in the back of the closet, fire up the grill and indulge in our annual orgy of patriotic fervor. It is appropriate to honor our nation’s fallen service men and women, and to thank veterans, especially those permanently damaged by war in body, … Continue reading Celebrate true patriotism this weekend
Our collective sickness: Killing ‘others’ for tribalism
It’s been a bad week for peace, human decency and the teachings of basically every major world religion. On Monday, Israeli troops killed 60 and injured more than 2,700 Palestinians in Gaza. Israel apologists vilified the dead, to justify the bloodshed in the name of ‘Murica and God. And why were Palestinians protesting? Imagine your … Continue reading Our collective sickness: Killing ‘others’ for tribalism
Two thoughts…
Two thoughts and a prayer for today: 1. Jesus was an Arab, a Palestinian and a Jew. 2. If we're to follow Christ we must love our neighbor as God loves us; we must see Christ in all people; we must see the infinite worth of every human life as the image of God. Prayer: … Continue reading Two thoughts…
Fostering understanding through ‘Mercy’
OKLAHOMA CITY — As a boy, Imam Imad Enchassi saw two radically different views of Christianity — one of peace and love, the other of violence committed in God's name. As an adult, Enchassi works to foster peace and understanding between Oklahoma's Muslim community and Christians, Jews and other faith groups — a mission he … Continue reading Fostering understanding through ‘Mercy’
Turning failure into success
When Alton Carter was a child, surviving to adulthood was by no means a given. Surrounded by addiction, poverty, abuse and neglect, rising to be nationally-recognized success as an adult was beyond a long shot. But, Carter did overcome those barriers, and now spends his days speaking to schools, prisons, businesses and civic clubs about … Continue reading Turning failure into success
Ascension: bringing the Incarnation full-circle
Thursday was Ascension Day, one of the most important and yet least celebrated events in the broader Church calendar. We’ve just had Easter — the celebration of our Lord’s bodily Resurrection. The grave and sin were conquered. Then, we had 40 days to walk with the risen Lord through the Easter season, until the Gospel … Continue reading Ascension: bringing the Incarnation full-circle
James R. Neal 