One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. Psalm 27:4
Listen to: Building 429 "Where I Belong"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usAwtKwICzs&feature=related
Dear Church Family: on this 19th Anniversary of the terrorist attacks on New York City, Somerset County, PA, and Washington DC, let us pause and remember the lives lost, and the survivors who grieve this day. Let us pray for our country in its deep divisions. Let us pray that God will be present to each and every one of us, filling us with a healing spirit so we can bring goodness out what terrorists intended for evil and destruction. Remember this prayer by Fr. Mychal Judge, the chaplain to the Fire Department and the first person listed killed as he knelt giving the last rites to a dying fire fighter:
Prayer of Mychal Judge:
“Lord, take me where you want me to go,
let me meet who you want me to meet,
tell me what you want me to say,
and keep me out of your way…” AMEN
The poet Maya Angelou wrote: "The ache for home lives in all of us, the safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned." We need a place in the world and in our hearts when we can be ourselves. Where we are loved for who we are, warts and all. Where we are loved.
Christians live in the tension: we call heaven our home and surely that is were we belong. Yet Jesus proclaims "The kingdom of God is in our midst" (Luke 17:21). We have dual citizenship: in heaven and earth. That's why we need to take seriously the saying "don't be so heavenly-minded that you're no earthly good." We need to detach from worldly values that promote selfishness, rampant materialism and greed. We are to care for the world, be active in its healing and movements for justice, peace and righteousness. In doing so, we are living out the heavenly values, and witnessing to the "kingdom of God in our midst."
As we face the hurts of our lives, and go about the work of mending others, we are reminded over and over again that we belong to an eternal home that can never be taken away from us. We are sojourners on this earth -- and we need to remind ourselves we are just passing through. This is not a morbid thought. It frees us from the traps of judging ourselves and others by worldly standards, and guides us to to see ourselves, and others, through God's everlasting, loving eyes.
As we set our eyes on our heavenly home, let us not forget our Church home, which many of us have missed during this COVID19 crisis. Our church home gives us strength and support to live the "kingdom in our midst." This Sunday is a day to celebrate our gathering together as a church family. We look forward to our "home away from home" as we see each other and see heaven's shores through each other's eyes. Let us lift up the importance of the church family in achieving our spiritual goals here on earth.
Let us find the kingdom of God, our home, in our hearts, and carry that piece of heaven wherever we go, especially as we celebrate our church home this week.
PRAY: " Your home is in our hearts. Help us keep our eyes on our heavenly home as we work to make a home of the world for all people and creation "
Dea
r Church Family: on this 19th Anniversary of the terrorist attacks on New York City, Somerset County, PA, and Washington DC, let us pause and remember the lives lost, and the survivors who grieve this day. Let us pray for our country in its deep divisions. Let us pray that God will be present to each and every one of us, filling us with a healing spirit so we can bring goodness out what terrorists intended for evil and destruction. Remember this prayer by Fr. Mychal Judge, the chaplain to the Fire Department and the first person listed killed as he knelt giving the last rites to a dying fire fighter:
Prayer of Mychal Judge:
“Lord, take me where you want me to go,
let me meet who you want me to meet,
tell me what you want me to say,
and keep me out of your way…” AMEN
One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. Psalm 27:4
Listen to: Building 429 "Where I Belong"
Cf. Eph. 4:29: "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usAwtKwICzs&feature=related
The poet Maya Angelou wrote: "The ache for home lives in all of us, the safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned." We need a place in the world and in our hearts when we can be ourselves. Where we are loved for who we are, warts and all. Where we are loved.
Christians live in the tension: we call heaven our home and surely that is were we belong. Yet Jesus proclaims "The kingdom of God is in our midst" (Luke 17:21). We have dual citizenship: in heaven and earth. That's why we need to take seriously the saying "don't be so heavenly-minded that you're no earthly good." We need to detach from worldly values that promote selfishness, rampant materialism and greed. We are to care for the world, be active in its healing and movements for justice, peace and righteousness. In doing so, we are living out the heavenly values, and witnessing to the "kingdom of God in our midst."
As we face the hurts of our lives, and go about the work of mending others, we are reminded over and over again that we belong to an eternal home that can never be taken away from us. We are sojourners on this earth -- and we need to remind ourselves we are just passing through. This is not a morbid thought. It frees us from the traps of judging ourselves and others by worldly standards, and guides us to to see ourselves, and others, through God's everlasting, loving eyes.
As we set our eyes on our heavenly home, let us not forget our Church home, which many of us have missed during this COVID19 crisis. Our church home gives us strength and support to live the "kingdom in our midst." This Sunday is a day to celebrate our gathering together as a church family. We look forward to our "home away from home" as we see each other and see heaven's shores through each other's eyes. Let us lift up the importance of the church family in achieving our spiritual goals here on earth.
Let us find the kindom of God, our home, in our hearts, and carry that piece of heaven wherever we go, especially as we celebrate our church home this week.
PRAY: " Your home is in our hearts. Help us keep our eyes on our heavenly home as we work to make a home of the world for all people and creation "
RSS Feed