Blog Posts containing "Lent I"

Jesus loved being human. His greatest joy was being with people. That is why the sinners gathered around Him. He was non judgmental, loving but best of all they all had a good time. The Pharisees did not interrupt Jesus and His group. They preferred to murmur away from them but loud enough so their griping could be heard by all. "This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them." Jesus then leaves His group and calmly walks over to the Pharisees and tells the familiar story we call the “Prodigal Son.”  Read more

Fourth Sunday in Lent: Worldly thinking only knows the physical. Godly thinking knows both can choose which is best for them. Which would you choose in each case? The Season of Lent is an opportunity to strengthen our spiritual abilities to look within ourselves. These exercises can help us discover the different meaning looking at the same scripture from the spiritual side can make.  Read more

Jesus tells the parable of a tree that has been given one chance after another by the gardener. The master is tired of waiting for it to produce fruit. Chop it down. The gardener replies, give me one more chance and I will fertilize it and perhaps it will start to produce. Alright, one more chance. We never know what happens to the tree. That is because Jesus wants to leave what happens to it up to us. We are the tree. Repenting in a worldly way is to confess our sins because that is what we did. The emphasis in the parable is on the sin, not sins. Sin is separation from God. Apart from God, we can do nothing. There is no fruit. John 15:5   Read more

Third Sunday in Lent: We have two lives, rational and spiritual. These meditations are to be an aid to increasing your spiritual understanding. The Season of Lent is an opportunity to strengthen our spiritual abilities to look within ourselves. These exercises can help us discover the different meaning looking at the same scripture from the spiritual side can make.  Read more

We need to be clear that Jesus loved being Jesus in this world. He loved all people unconditionally in the Love of the Father. Jesus enjoyed being with everyone He met. He had a Joy no one could take from Him. Some might argue that He did not have joy over His crucifixion, being tortured to death for three hours. However, St Paul hits it in Hebrews 12:2 “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross.” The Joy of His Resurrection and what it would bring into the world overcame that terrible dark Friday. His Joy was not because of what happened. His Joy was beyond what happened.  Read more

Second Sunday in Lent: Spiritual language is natural, conscious and innate. Take time to sense the godly Presence within when a spiritual word is added to the rational, worldly reading of scripture. The Season of Lent is an opportunity to strengthen our spiritual abilities to look within ourselves. These exercises can help us discover the different meaning looking at the same scripture from the spiritual side can make.  Read more

When we read this scripture in a worldly way we examine rationally each temptation to find its meaning. What is the meaning of changing the stones into bread, but to feed Himself? What is the meaning of leaping off the top of the Temple, but to show His Power and satisfy His ego? What is the meaning of being given all the Kingdoms of the world, but to satisfy His need for material things? We have found the three meanings as to why Satan tempted Him. That is it. We are done here, on to the rest of the Lenten Season. Just a minute! There is still another question that the rational cannot grasp.  Read more

Spiritual language is natural, conscious and innate. Take time to sense the godly Presence within when a spiritual word is added to the rational, worldly reading of scripture. The Season of Lent is an opportunity to strengthen our spiritual abilities to look within ourselves. These exercises can help us discover the different meaning looking at the same scripture from the spiritual side can make.  Read more

What do we do with the words of Jesus about Moses? Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness. So must the Son of Man be lifted up so that everyone who believes in Him will have eternal life. Some see this as Jesus being lifted up on the cross. The serpent represents sin. Jesus took on our sin on the cross to save us. The problem here, is trying to fit one's theology into the scripture rather than have the scripture define our theology.  Read more

When we think of things rationally with our head, the physical is real and the spiritual is symbolic. When we think of things spiritually with our heart, the spiritual is real and the rational becomes symbolic. The challenge is to realize, at certain times, the physical and the spiritual are both real.  Read more