With A Higher Power
It is said that we ask God through prayer and we listen to God through meditation. It is through this continual cycle of communication from us to our Higher Power and then from a Higher Power back to us that helps us begin to see what is called emotional sobriety.
As we come to rely on this relationship with our Higher Power we start to notice the freedom we have craved, freedom from our childhood survival traits. We can begin the journey towards our Higher Power in the knowledge that our Higher Power understands us better than we understand ourselves. We begin to rely on this faith and trust in the same way that a goat relies on his ability to stay rooted on the side of a mountain.
And as we find freedom from our childhood survival traits, we become more aware of when we slip back into using them in our adult lives. This often happens in times of stress or when we move away from the program and it's daily actions.
When we move towards our survival traits we will see that we struggle in our relationships, we lose self-respect and we lose sight of living in the present moment.
In order for us to increase the strength of our faith, we must improve our conscious contact with our Higher Power. This brings us clarity together with the understanding that we don't need to ‘people please’ others in order to make us feel OK. We take steps towards being our true selves in relationships with people we love.
And each time we do this, we are rewarded with positive changes in our lives, feeling connected to a Higher Power and, in due course, experience the miracles that come with working a Program like this.
Life is like being in a small boat on a river. The river flows downstream and sometimes we cannot see what is around the river bend. However we continue in our small boat - bobbing along - trusting that all will be well when we go around the bend.


SIN is extremely painful to God and to all creation. In Heaven, SIN caused a war that left millions of holy beings alienated from God and each other. On earth, SIN opened the flood gates to disease, decay and death. On Calvary, SIN tore a Father away from His only begotten Son, as They both suffered the anguish of separation while carrying through the plan of salvation. Listen to the voice of Christ as He cries out on Calvary: “My God! My God! Why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46). The separation that SIN causes is real.
This concept of SIN is rarely understood as evidenced by our love for it and continual practice of it. But when the Holy Spirit reveals SIN in its true nature, it will lose its attraction and will be seen as that which separates us from everything and everyone we love. It will be seen that death, divorce, war, and estrangement are all the results of SIN.
One might think that a topic so serious would be commonly discussed, yet SIN is rarely preached about. You may rarely hear sermons about it. This is not because it has ceased to exist. In actuality, it is more prominent today than ever before. Why is it that so many avoid the topic? It is because SIN has become acceptable, even fashionable in most religious circles. And because it's so common today, most close their eyes to it. Somehow, we believe that God will overlook the very thing that crucified His only begotten Son. But this is not true. God will never compromise with SIN. In Christ, He provided everything needful for us to overcome this terrible disease. But we must take advantage of His solution rather than avoid the problem altogether.
Divine love (agape) is SIN's only antidote. We do not naturally possess this type of love. Therefore, we do not naturally have a defense against SIN. Having a “good heart” will not suffice. Neither will being a “good” moral and decent person. Only the love which originates in God can deter the soul from SIN. Human love (Eros) is insufficient.
When we possess divine love we will cease to do that which creates a wedge between us and God. Our desire to be with God will be stronger than our desire to please ourselves through the practice of SIN. But when this love is lacking, we will embrace the separation and continue the practice of SIN without regard. This choice ultimately leads to condemnation: "And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than life, because their deeds were evil" (John 3:19).
Making a choice to continue in SIN when we know it is wrong is extremely dangerous and suicidal. Few realize that separation from God means separation from life itself. There is no such thing as "life" apart from God. "He that has the Son has life, He that has not the Son, has not life" (1 John 5:12). "In Him was life; and the life was the light of men" (John 1:4). Creationists believe that it was God that gave life to all mankind. It is His to give, and His to take back. When we choose to practice SIN, we also choose to forfeit the life given to us as a gift. Contrary to popular belief, death is not an arbitrary punishment inflicted by God on those who choose a life of SIN. Death is simply the result of our separation from God, the supreme Source of life.
When we turn off the lights at night, darkness appears. Likewise, when we turn from the Source of life through SIN, death appears. This is why choosing to continue a life of SIN is nothing less than self-inflicted destruction. We destroy our own souls. God says, "He that sins against Me wrongs his own soul: all they that hate Me love death" (Proverbs 8:36). In the end, we'll have no one to blame but ourselves if we are lost.
It is my prayer that all will take advantage of the divine remedy. It is written, "The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given to us" (Romans 5:5). Divine love for God poured into the selfish soul is the only cure for SIN. It alone provides the power needed to resist temptation. It alone makes us loyal citizens of the city of God. It alone creates a desire to be with God so strong that it overpowers our fleshly cravings for SIN. This amazing love is a gift from God and it is freely given to anyone wishing to be delivered from SIN.
If you recognize your deficiencies today, there is hope for you. Realize that Jesus died in agony--while His Father watched in agony--so that you could be reconciled to God. Together, They experienced the awful separation that SIN causes so that you wouldn't have to. It is not enough for you to want to be saved from your life of difficulties, or even this evil world. You must desire to be saved from your life of SIN. You must desire to be rescued from all of your evil practices, practices that would never be permissible in the presence of Jesus. Thank God that all of this is possible through Christ, for it is written "all things are possible for him that believes" (Mark 9:23). Let's pray this prayer together:
"Jesus, I am sorry for the pain and agony that You experienced on Calvary. I realize now, that You were experiencing separation from our Father that my SIN caused. I still struggle with some things in my life, so please give me Your love to counteract my selfishness. I want to be filled with Your self-sacrificing love today. Lord, I believe. Help Thou my unbelief. In Your name, Amen."
Praying for you--Pastor DL


Thru this means we want to thank all our supporters of the website “Mi Vida en Abundancia” by their active participation.
First of all, we give glory and honor to our Heavenly Father for allowing us the privilege to serve our brothers and sisters in the Faith, we thank The Lord for giving us the joy of seeing surpass our goals and be as high as half a million visitors to our page ?Mi Vida en Abundancia? in a period less than three years of existence.
We feel privileged to be an instrument of blessing to others, serving through our various ministries.
To Him be the honor and praise, and thank to our visitors for their loyalty.
Thanks and blessings in the name of Jesus.
Ministry ?Mi Vida en Abundancia?.


You know, there is something fascinating about speaking another language. It is true, it’s not always fun and sometimes you can mix sinfulness with singleness or hat with cat or chicken with kitchen. I still do all those mistakes when I don’t sleep enough and my brain and my mouth decide to stop playing in the same team.
But there are words that you can’t get wrong. Words that, when you hear them for the first time, make sense in your mind in a completely different and new way. It’s as if you could see them. That’s what happened to me the first time I heard the word godliness. It made sense by itself. It is to be good in the sense that God is good. It didn’t need any explanation. You know what is good, you know who God is… then you know the meaning of godliness.
It puzzles me when I can’t find an accurate translation of an English word into my language. Godliness becomes piety in Spanish. It somehow sounds like spending the rest of your days on a monastery, reflecting about God and life. How far from the real godliness! Think about people like William Wilberforce, for example. He was well known for his godliness. But he seemed to have understood godliness as reflecting God’s character in bringing the slavery in the UK to an end. Godliness that changes the world. Not in a monastery but right in the middle of the Parliament.
Last week, I was with a group of friends thinking about the relationship between Jesus and the Law. Godliness comes to my mind as one of the key words to understand this relationship. “Be good because the Lord your God is good”. That’s why we can see so much about God’s character in his law, so we can imitate it. And Jesus was, in every sense, the perfect representation of God’s goodness. So it makes sense to see the word godliness clearly. When I think of godliness, I think of Jesus.
I cannot create a new word in my language. But God can create a godly woman in me so others in my country could see how He looks like. That’s my prayer.


Revelation chapter 15 begins the preparation for the last seven vials the wrath of god began with the seven seals in chapter 6 and will be finished with the last seven vials chapter 15 is an introduction to these last seven and final plagues on mankind throughout history god has poured out his wrath in judgment on early sinners. Revelation 15 bible study reading 1 and i saw another sign in heaven great and marvellous seven angels having the seven last plagues for in them is filled up the wrath of god the last seven plagues from god are going to be poured out on the wicked by the seven angels and it will be ugly. Revelation 15 prelude to the bowl judgments a those victorious over the beast 1 1 seven angels with seven plagues then i saw another sign in heaven great and marvelous seven angels having the seven last plagues for in them the wrath of god is complete a. 2 rev 152 a multitude on the sea of glass and i saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire and those who have the victory over the beast over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name standing on the sea of glass having harps of god a. A look at the last seven plagues of god that will show forth his wrath on the earth during the great tribulation period a look at the redeemed that get the victory over the beast and that did not
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Recently I have been reading, Living on the Edge, by Chip Ingram. This book has many great insights on how a mature Christian should live their lives. Here is an excerpt from my reading today. The topic is authenticity.
“When I have to hidden sin in my life, the real me can’t show up because I’m hiding something, I have to pretend.
So many of us unknowingly ask the wrong questions when it comes to the issue of sin. The questions so many are asking are, “How close can I get to sin without without crossing the line? What rating does a movie have to have so I can watch it without committing a sin? How much can I drink before it’s a sin? How much money can I have before it’s considered greed? How far can we go in this relationship before it’s called sexual immorality? How much can we bend the truth or spin the story before it’s a lie?” We all so this to some degree and it results in Christians who continue to cross lines and cross boundaries that violate their consciences. Once these patterns develop, little private sins begin to take on a life of their own in the secret compartments of our hears. No one knows about them and it takes an enormous amount of energy to keep them hidden. The problem is that sin does not only impact us privately, but every unresolved issue before God will affect others because we are a spiritual, living organism; we”belong to one another” (Romans 12:5).
So her’s how it gets played out in real life. As you meet with a group of fellow believers or with a close friend in Christ and begin to pray and talk about deep issues of the heart, you don’t share what’s really going on because there are areas in your life and your heart that must remain hidden. And so you begin to wear a mask. You begin to pretend. And the grace of God and the power of authentic community are not available to you, nor do you give this power to others. Relationships become more and more superficial, filled with Christian cliche’s and religious jargon. Your soul shrinks and the guilt rises. After a while you find you don’t want to be around committed believers, hear God’s word, or participate in activities that force you to confront your hypocrisy. Loneliness and isolation become your silent partners, while God longs for you to come home, come clean, and be restored.”


Liturgy of the Word:
Tuesday - Friday 8:00am
Saturday 5:30 p.m.
Sunday 8:00 a.m and 10:30 a.m.
Thursday 8:30am (following 8:00am Mass)
Sacrament of Reconciliation:
or by appointment (call 812-952-2853)
The Lenten Penance Service will be held Thursday, April 3 at 7:00pm.


Southshore Baptist Church meets every week on Sunday and Wednesday. There are four service times with
🏫 Sunday School for all ages at 10:15am
⛪ Sunday Worship Services at 11:00am & 5:00pm
🌃 Wednesday Evening Service is at 7:00pm
Southshore Baptist Church's location is found at
2220 Transcontinental Drive, Metairie, LA 70001
near the Transcontinental and West Napolean intersection.


Christmas Tree Painting Bundle
'Tis the season of joy and wonder, where Christmas trees hold a special place in our hearts and minds. The Christmas tree is a symbol of joy, hope, and the festive spirit that unites families and communities during the holiday season.
Painting Christmas trees is fun and creative and allows you to express your holiday spirit. It's a great way to capture the magic of the season and share it with others. Feel free to add these three trees to your Christmas decor, gift them, or create special memories with those you love.


The Hosting the presence course – a lot to take in. Today the NSV – Nicks simplified version.
A lot to take in. A lot to process. We are not alone! My experience is that I don’t always get it all in one go. I get a glimpse of something and I go with that. One of the benefits of the discussion groups.
For instance the hand in the glove picture. We struggle if we think it means the holy spirit adapts to our shape. But when we think about it more that’s not so extraordinary– Jesus (God) adapted entirely to our shape in the incarnation – when the word became flesh. Even our familiar jars of clay picture the “treasure” is limited to and has to fit the jar. The wine fits the wineskin. The wineskin needs to be flexible, the glove needs to be flexible. The glove idea is only an illustration – but a helpful one. Have you ever put on an old muddy pair of gardening gloves. Stiff and inflexible. Lets not be like the stiff inflexible gardening gloves but like gloves that move to every movement of the hand inside. Remember every picture is a representation of the truth – don’t push it to far.
This week’s session started with Jacob – not one of my favourites!
Sometimes as we read the story we might ask is he doing the right thing or not I can’t even work it out. Sometimes he does things that I don’t think are right but God works it to his purposes. His name – supplanter/deceiver/trickster does not inspire confidence. God is exceedingly gracious to him. There is a massive amount of grace in the OT
Anyway, in Genesis 27 and 28 he has stolen his brother Esau’s birthright by deception and trickery in collusion with his mother Rebekah who seems to be a bit of a manipulator … and he’s on the run.
At this stage I might want to step in and say “No this isn’t right – this isn’t godly”. You should be a good submitted son at home, honour your older brother. What does God do – gives him a dream. An amazing revelation of heaven and the house of God and an amazing promise. In a way he gives him a bigger revelation than anyone in our bibles who has come before.
When he reached a certain place, he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep. 12He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. 13There above itc stood the Lord, and he said: “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. 14Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.d 15I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”
This is Abraham’s promise – so Jacob who had stolen the birthright of firstborn actually has it confirmed by God. There may be a firstborn principle that usually applies but God is not limited to that.
His response “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven.”
Back to Bill Johnson – he focused us on what jacob’s response was – the house of god and the gate of heaven. I’ve caught a glimpse.
First mention of house of God.
Difficult for us as two different concepts.
The house of God – the place where he dwells
Gate of heaven – on the boundary the entrance and exit.
Maybe we could see it as a gatehouse. (It’s just a picture) It’s a house but it’s a gateway. It’s on the border of the property. It’s the way in and out of the property.
3 things that Bill mentioned that Jacob observed:
- God speaks
- Open heaven. Do we live as though we have an open heaven? Do we pray as if we have an open heaven. The curtain of the temple is torn in two.
- A ladder or stairway between heaven and earth with angels ascending and descending – why? To do God’s will. Not aimlessly going up and down – the word is also translated messenger. Most angelic visitations were to bring a message. I’ve never really thought about this before. I’ve just thought of this as these ethereal beings mystically moving up and down. Maybe it’s a picture that tells us that god sends his messenger angels into the world.
John 1:51 Very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of Man
Angels at work in the ministry of Jesus.
Lets think about these angels 2 kings 6 Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, LORD, so that he may see.” Then the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. There was an angelic situation occurring that the servant couldn’t see.
Open heaven We have an open heaven – straight access to God. The curtain has been torn in two.
The church as the people of God is the place that is on the boundary between heaven and earth.
What does it mean – God’s activity on earth flows through the church, the house of God.
Heaven is close, we’re at the gateway
We need to understand – we are at the gateway of heaven. That’s where we live.
There are angels active in gods purposes.
Finish a warning – Jacobs response “if god does this for me then I will…”
Verse 20 -If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear 21 so that I return safely to my father’s household, then the Lord[f] will be my God 22 and[g] this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God’s house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth.”
You can have great experience of god and not let your heart be changed. An unchanged heart does not invalidate the experience.
It was part of Jacob’s journey. Whatever revelation we receive, what ever powerful works God may use us in – they are not there to validate or our character, our theology, our lifestyle.
Let’s expect – open heaven, angelic activity, advance of kingdom of heaven, God’s voice


Today's sermon was sooo meant for me. Thank you, Lord, for the way you speak through our pastor right to my heart. It is days like today that remind me that I am your child and that you care so much about me.
So the message today was about choosing to glorify God despite your situation. Hello...did Pastor Tom read my blog last week or what?! The Israelites didn't do this. They wanted God to fix their situation, and then when He did, they glorified Saul, their new king, not Him, their eternal king. They didn't get it. And consequently (as I'm sure Pastor Tom will take us through in the next few weeks), they will pay the price for their narrow-sighted vision.
I want to get it. I want to be in a place where I can glorify God in whatever situation I am in. I want to be able to glorify the Lord whether I am working full time, part-time, or staying at home. I want to be able to glorify Him whether my children are obedient or not. I want to be able to glorify Him whether my husband is loving or not. I was there earlier this week, and then I let myself focus on my situation instead of on my loving Father. Today I was recharged, but I think the key is continually renewing my mind and focusing on Father.
I pray every night with Elizabeth that she and the new baby would come to know Jesus at an early age, that they would love and follow Him everyday of their lives, and that they would glorify His name in all that they do. I think I need to add myself to that prayer.


The stained glass windows in Gothic cathedrals were created to tell religious stories. Each window was a scene of the life of a saint. The colorful glass windows were lit up by the sun, which made the scene glow inside the cathedral.
A rose window is a round stained glass window used in Gothic architecture. The glass pattern is repeated to make a symmetrical design.
The rose window was the inspiration for this stained glass ornament craft. Click “stained glass ornament” to get the pattern.
*If you want to make this craft with younger students, use only 2 of the circles and one piece of tissue paper to make a flat ornament.


Ministry of Community Activism: The Life of Reverend Charlotte Williams
At rOc, we are laser focused on highlighting individuals who are actively moving to shape their communities. In our pursuit of finding these “missionaries” of positive change, we often encounter stories of struggle and perseverance. Rev. Charlotte Williams, a vocal Chattanooga, Tennessee activist and pastor of Eastdale Village Community United Methodist Church, embodies these attributes. Inspired by the Angela Davis statement of “I am no longer accepting the things I cannot change…I am changing the things I cannot accept.”, Rev. Williams has sought out various opportunities that allow her to be more productive in her local community. Throughout her youth she has been inspired by the words of compelling leaders which ultimately led her on a path of activism and involvement in many groups including Africana Women on a Mission. Using her educational training in community psychology and theology, Rev. Williams is a founding member of the organizations CALEB and UNITY. CALEB stands for Chattanooga in Action for Love, Equality, and Benevolence and is a multi-organizational group that provides a community bail fund. This community bail fund addresses the fact that many people are warehoused in jail not due to guilt but due to the inability to raise the cash bail. UNITY is a multi-organizational group focused on social justice issues and the needs of marginalized people. Rev. Williams has been a symbol of hope to her community especially after assuming the role of pastoral leadership following the passing of her beloved father, Rev. Stanley R. Williams. Although Rev. Charlotte has a passion for helping the voiceless in her community, she desires to increase her reach in aid and assistance for their needs. She truly astonishes those who have become acquainted with her. For her tireless work in her community and dedication to the needs of the underserved, rOc is pleased to recognize Rev. Charlotte Williams and feature her as a Community rOcStar.
To make a donation towards a fundraiser to assist CALEB, click on the image below.


Mission Encounters International is a gospel-driven, charitable organization with a heart devoted to missions. Learn more about our MEI Team and meet our Board of Directors.
Our Focus is on Discipleship
Our ultimate goal at MEI is to disciple others by pursuing relationships to proclaim the gospel and demonstrate the kingdom of Jesus in all areas of life. We believe that this is done through biblical instruction, mentorship, community development training, and simply living life together.
Our Mission is…
Our Vision is for…
We practice teaming to glorify God through edification of the Body by using trust, conflict, commitment and accountability to gain results.
Because we value integrity, we will uphold our commitment and seek peaceful solutions to our problems. We will be honest and trustworthy in our words and actions as an example of Christ’s character to others. We will not compromise our integrity regardless of situation or circumstance.
We will follow through on commitment, provide complete information, be open with each other, use resources wisely and responsibly, and act in such a way as to protect missionaries, each other and the community in which we are serving.
We will be honest with each other, and without hidden agendas. We will be fiscally responsible by maintaining documentation of actions, decisions, and finances and will share such upon request.
We will follow where God leads us regardless of original plans.
We will be passionately committed to God’s causes and callings on our lives. We will regularly review our purpose and measure progress against His goal and our goals.
Our Strategy is…
Working with businesses, churches, families and individuals so as to direct donated resources for the greatest return. It is such a joy to see lives change as we partner and team together to change the world in which we live.
- that the Bible is the inerrant Word of God;
- in the unity and trinity of the Godhead, that God the Father is Sovereign in everything;
- that Jesus Christ, His only Son, was virgin-born, crucified for our redemption, was resurrected from the dead and will return for His Church;
- that the Holy Spirit indwells, preserves, and seals every believer;
- that man is by nature and by choice a sinner in need of a Savior;
- that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone;
- that eternal life awaits the saved while eternal punishment is reserved for the lost…


St Bart's Choir
Calendar of Events
Here we'll list events and activities scheduled for the next few months.
We'll update this page frequently, so check back often to stay up to date.
Wedding 14th March 2020 St bartsWedding 18th April 1pm 2020 TBC Lockdown begins 16th March
Generally, we sing at 5.15 p.m. Mass on the first Saturday of every monthand at 9.30 a.m. Mass on other Sundays, except during school summer holidays.Prospective members are welcome to learn more about us by attending Sunday Mass, coming to one of our rehearsals or attending one of our concerts or events.


The music staff of Joyful Noise AOH Church of God knows the importance of a powerful worship experience. Our desire is that every worshipper will leave having had an experience of worship that they will never forget. Whether ministering in song with an upbeat expression of joy or an intimate time of heartfelt worship, you will be refreshed as you enter into God's Presence.
Each service, singers and musicians lead the Joyful Noise AOH Church of God family into a time of life-changing praise and worship, proclaiming through music the greatness and everlasting love of God. Our goal is to enhance our music department by training our youth to become skillful and anointed musicians as well as develop future spirit-filled chorals such as an upcoming Male Chorus, Youth choir and Children’s Ministry Choir. Come be a part of what God is doing at the Joyful Noise AOH Church of God by entering into worship with us and experiencing God's Presence.


A Biblical Perspective of Self-Defense and Civil Disobedience
A Free Excerpt
For more information, click on the book cover.
Table of Contents
- Two Controversial Topics
- Part 1, Self-Defense
- Old Testament Background
- Is Killing a Person Always Murder?
- Capital Punishment
- Use of Deadly Force
- New Testament: Different Purpose and Emphasis
- Jesus’ Responses to Danger (see excerpt below)
- Jesus’ Teaching (see excerpt below)
- The Apostles’ Responses to Danger
- The Apostles’ Teaching
- Godly Character
- Peace Isn’t Always Possible
- Application to Self-Defense
- The Most Important Factor
- Old Testament Background
- Part 2, Civil Disobedience
- Old Testament Background
- Submission to Authority
- New Testament Examples
- Civil Disobedience That Honors God
- What About Revolt?
(Beginning of excerpt. Reading time: 26 minutes.)
Jesus’ Responses to Danger
The New Testament stresses the importance of Christians becoming like Jesus, which includes following his example in what we do. Let’s examine Jesus’ life and teachings as they relate to the topic of self-defense.
When Jesus was a young child, an angel of the Lord appeared to his father Joseph in a dream and warned him to leave the country because Herod wanted to kill the child (Matt. 2:13). God’s response to the threat of danger in this stage of Jesus’ life was to instruct his father to leave town. So Joseph took his family to Egypt to avoid the danger.
After Joseph learned that Herod was dead, he returned to Israel. “But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee” (Matt. 2:22). Again, Joseph learned in a dream that Jesus’ life was in danger, so he moved to another area. This verse doesn’t state specifically God told him to leave Judea; only that he warned him in a dream of the danger.
After John baptized him in water, the Spirit led Jesus into the desert to be tempted by the devil. “After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, ‘If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread’…. Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him” (Matt. 4:2 – 3, 11).
It’s significant that Jesus was hungry after he fasted forty days. After the first few days of fasting, one’s body adjusts and begins consuming nutrient reserves it has stored and the stomach stops feeling hungry. In about 40 days, these reserves are depleted and the person gets hungry again; if he doesn’t eat right away, he literally will starve to death. Jesus was at that point, but didn’t use his powers to provide for his urgent need; instead, angels attended him. In other words, he didn’t protect himself in this dangerous condition, but trusted God to care for him.
Later in his ministry, Jesus told his disciples to cross to the other side of a lake.
Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”
He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. (Matt. 8:23 – 26)
Unconcerned for his own safety, Jesus slept through the storm. When the disciples awoke him, he reprimanded them for being afraid, then rebuked the storm and it became calm. He used his authority to take control of a life-threatening situation, then rebuked the disciples for not doing the same.
On another occasion, Jesus healed a man on the Sabbath, which infuriated the religious leaders who were present. “But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus. Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place” (Matt. 12:14 – 15). Jesus simply left the area to avoid danger.
Soon afterward, he had another encounter with the Pharisees. “You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good?” (Matt. 12:34 – 37). He harshly rebuked them, not in retaliation for their accusations, but this time to correct their error and stubborn refusal to accept what God was doing. He knew their hearts and that they would later plot to kill him, but he wasn’t timid or reluctant to rebuke them.
Another time Jesus spoke in a local synagogue, he made a statement about God blessing individual Gentiles and not Israelites. “All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him down the cliff. But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way” (Luke 4:28 – 30). The crowd tried to throw Jesus off a cliff, but he simply walked through the crowd to escape. The Scripture gives no rational explanation of how he did it; only that he protected himself by leaving. It wasn’t time for him to die.
Later, some Pharisees tried to get Jesus to leave their area.
At that time some Pharisees came to Jesus and said to him, “Leave this place and go somewhere else. Herod wants to kill you.”
He replied, “Go tell that fox, ‘I will drive out demons and heal people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.’ In any case, I must keep going today and tomorrow and the next day–for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem!” (Luke 13:31 – 33)
Jesus focused on his mission despite the death threats and acknowledged he was ready to die when he reached Jerusalem.
In the parable of the ten minas (Luke 19:11 – 27), Jesus described a king who killed those who didn’t want him to rule over them. Based on our understanding of Scripture, the king in the parable represents Jesus himself when he returns to set up his kingdom on earth. He clearly wasn’t reluctant to talk about putting his enemies to death.
In Luke 20:9 – 16, Jesus told a parable in which a landowner killed the tenants who murdered his son. The people who heard the parable responded, “May this never be!” It seems Jesus’ position on capital punishment was stronger than the teaching of the religious leaders of his day.
Once when Jesus sent his disciples out to minister, he told them:
“But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one. It is written: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors’; and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfillment.”
The disciples said, “See, Lord, here are two swords.”
“That is enough,” he replied. (Luke 22:36 – 38)
Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem, and his reference to being numbered with the transgressors shows he knew he would be executed there as a criminal. He told his disciples to get a sword, even if they had to sell their cloak to buy one. They had two swords among them, and Jesus said that was enough. He clearly didn’t oppose the possession and use of swords, yet he indicated two swords were sufficient for the 11 disciples. They obviously weren’t heavily armed by today’s standards.
Were the swords just for show? Or to comfort his disciples until they learned to trust him? Or were they temporary measures until Jesus could get to heaven and protect them? Jesus never offered such explanations; neither did any of the apostles after his resurrection. So we can conclude Jesus intended his disciples to have swords and be prepared to use them, but not to defend him from arrest and crucifixion.
John’s gospel provides many more examples.
“After this, Jesus went around in Galilee, purposely staying away from Judea because the Jews there were waiting to take his life” (John 7:1). Jesus stayed away from an area because the people there would try to kill him. He was able to avoid capture or escape a mob, yet he chose to evade danger this time. Compare this with the next incident.
“At this they tried to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his time had not yet come” (John 7:30). The Jews wanted to seize him and tried, but couldn’t. Verse 44 of that chapter also states, “Some wanted to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him.”
These verses don’t say whether Jesus eluded their grasp, disappeared into the crowd, exercised his authority and commanded the people to stop, or what he did. Since it doesn’t say, what he actually did is unimportant.
The point is the people couldn’t harm him because it wasn’t his time to die. Jesus knew when his “time” was; we typically don’t know when ours will be. However, like Jesus, we always can entrust ourselves to God’s care. If God is almighty, above all other powers and authorities as he claims, then no one can take my life until God says it’s my time to die. This greatly relieves me of responsibility for protecting myself, though he allows me to do so.
At another time, the Jews were arguing with Jesus about his statements when he said something they considered blasphemous. “At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds” (John 8:59). This verse doesn’t explain how Jesus hid himself from the crowd and slipped away, but he clearly left a hostile situation.
During the Feast of Dedication, the Jews demanded that Jesus tell them whether he was the Christ. His reply angered them, of course. “Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp” (John 10:39). They couldn’t seize him though they wanted to and tried.
There’s no mention in any of these incidents of Jesus struggling or defending himself. This alone doesn’t mean he did or didn’t. Scripture never says he put on his sandals, either, so silence on a subject usually means it’s irrelevant to the context. We don’t need to know how he escaped their grasp. In fact, due to our human nature, if we knew how he did it, we’d develop a ministry to teach people how to escape like he did and completely miss the point.
Then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”
“But Rabbi,” they said, “a short while ago the Jews tried to stone you, and yet you are going back there?”
Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? A man who walks by day will not stumble, for he sees by this world’s light. It is when he walks by night that he stumbles, for he has no light.” (John 11:7 – 10)
Jesus went back to Judea where the Jews had tried to stone him. His reply to his disciples about daylight may indicate they will be safe if they go when the time is right; or his reply might suggest a complete lack of concern for safety, even in broad daylight. In either case, he returned to the scene of a former dangerous encounter.
So from that day on [the Sanhedrin] plotted to take his life.
Therefore Jesus no longer moved about publicly among the Jews. Instead he withdrew to a region near the desert, to a village called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples….
But the chief priests and Pharisees had given orders that if anyone found out where Jesus was, he should report it so that they might arrest him. (John 11:53 – 54, 57)
After the official governing body (the Sanhedrin) decided to kill Jesus, he avoided public exposure until it was time for him to die.
Jesus returned to Jerusalem for the Passover Feast, where people in the crowd recognized him and in disbelief questioned what he was saying. “When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them” (John 12:36). He left and simply hid himself from the crowd. This was after the chief priests and Pharisees gave orders for people to report if they see him so they could arrest him.
As the time approached for him to die, “Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life” (Matt. 16:21). Jesus knew he would suffer terribly and the religious leaders would kill him. He knew his purpose in life included being crucified and paying the horrendous penalty for all sin, but he didn’t abandon his destiny by protecting himself from harm. Even when a mob came to arrest him the night Judas betrayed him, he didn’t defend himself.
Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him. With that, one of Jesus’ companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.
“Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?” (Matt. 26:50 – 54)
As we see, Peter used a sword to defend him, but Jesus told him not to and then healed the injured man. It was time for Jesus to die and he was ready. He could have asked God for protection, but did not.
People sometimes interpret his statement, “all who draw the sword will die by the sword,” as prohibiting the use of weapons. But in another account of this incident, Jesus’ point in having Peter put away his sword was his willingness to submit to arrest and death, rather than avoiding the use of weapons (John 18:11, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?”). If Jesus were a pacifist and opposed to any use of weapons, why would he instruct his disciples to have them (see Luke 22:36 – 38)? Jesus told Peter not to use his sword because (1) Jesus must be arrested and crucified, and (2) Peter was acting in the flesh rather than recognizing God’s will.
After Jesus’ arrest, the teachers of the law and the elders presented him to the high priest, looking for evidence to justify putting him to death. In response to one of their questions, he suggested they ask those who heard him teach.
When Jesus said this, one of the officials nearby struck him in the face. “Is this the way you answer the high priest?” he demanded.
“If I said something wrong,” Jesus replied, “testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?” (John 18:22 – 23).
He didn’t retaliate, but stood his ground and rebuked the man who struck him.
Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” But Jesus remained silent.
The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.”
“Yes, it is as you say,” Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?”
“He is worthy of death,” they answered. (Matt. 26:62 – 66)
Jesus didn’t defend himself when accused because he knew it was time for his crucifixion. In fact, he even made a statement he knew would incite a strong response from the spiritual leaders, almost guaranteeing they would demand his death.
The Sanhedrin decided to put him to death, but had to send him to Pilate because they didn’t have the authority to perform capital punishment. During Pilate’s interrogation, Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place” (John 18:36). Jesus said his disciples would fight to prevent his arrest if his kingdom were of this world. By implication, it’s not wrong to fight about matters of this world.
Pilate couldn’t find a charge against Jesus worthy of execution, but the chief priests and their officials demanded he be crucified for claiming to be the Son of God. When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid to condemn Jesus (John 19:8); first because he claimed to be a king, but then the religious leaders said he claimed to be the Son of God. Pilate looked for a reason to let him go and asked him where he came from, possibly hoping he could refer the matter to another authority. Jesus didn’t answer his question (v. 9); a direct answer might have encouraged Pilate to release him, which would abort the crucifixion.
Note that Jesus told his disciples earlier he could call on his Father, who would put legions of angels at his disposal to protect and deliver him (Matt. 26:53). This also was true later during his torture and execution, but Jesus submitted to the process because it would fulfill his purpose in coming to earth.
- Before Jesus completed his ministry, he sometimes avoided regions where he might face danger, though at other times he went there despite the risk.
- He wasn’t reluctant to make controversial statements or give rebukes that might incite strong reactions.
- On several occasions, he either avoided capture or slipped away from those trying to kill him.
- When he knew it was time to face his crucifixion, he deliberately went to Jerusalem, allowed himself to be captured, and made statements he knew would incite the religious leaders against him.
- He refused to say anything that might prevent his execution, submitted to the physical abuse preceding it and refused to call on angelic hosts to rescue him.
- In other words, Jesus took prudent measures to protect himself from harm until it was time for him to die.
Having examined Jesus’ responses to danger, let’s consider his teachings about what his followers should do.
“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matt. 5:10 – 12)
We should consider ourselves blessed if people persecute us because of our righteousness, if people insult us or persecute us because of Jesus. This doesn’t specifically address retaliation or defense, but if we consider such an experience a blessing, we may be less likely to defend ourselves. This doesn’t mean self-defense would be inappropriate, only that we should “rejoice and be glad” for the experience.
“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell” (Matt. 5:21 – 22). Not only are we forbidden to murder, we shouldn’t even be angry with another Christian (a “brother”) or treat them with contempt. When would we normally be angry with someone? When they harm us or try to do so. Refusing to be angry doesn’t mean we also refuse to defend ourselves, only that we refuse to be angry. Defending ourselves and getting angry are typical responses to threats, but one is acceptable, the other is not.
“Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still with him on the way, or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. I tell you the truth, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny” (Matt. 5:25 – 26). If someone is taking you to court, settle the matter in advance. The context presumes you are guilty of the charge (“You will not get out until you have paid the last penny”) in which case any form of self-protection is inappropriate, such as self-defense or self-justification.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles….
“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” (Matt. 5:38 – 41, 44)
We shouldn’t resist an evil person or withhold what they demand. Some insist “turn the other cheek” refers only to a slap on the face and isn’t relevant to dangerous attacks. We must keep this in context, however, which includes “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”
We are to love our enemies and pray for–not against–those who persecute us. The normal sinful tendency is to reward those who are good to us and retaliate against those who treat us badly. Instead, we’re to deny such a sinful inclination by doing good and blessing those who intend us harm.
Many would argue this prohibits defending ourselves in any way, but especially with deadly force. But does loving someone and praying for them keep us from defending ourselves from them? If so, self-defense is never appropriate because we’re to love even our enemies. And Jesus would’ve violated his own teaching because he protected himself from harm until it was time for his crucifixion. Notice also that Jesus presented this teaching before he directed his disciples to buy swords if they didn’t have any. We must conclude loving our enemies doesn’t prevent us from defending ourselves from them, maybe even with lethal means. As we’ll see later, the main issue here is dealing with one’s own sinful instincts.
“So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matt. 6:31 – 33). This requires a complete realignment of priorities. The world thinks our priority should be to take care of ourselves. Instead, we must make God’s kingdom and his righteousness our top priorities and let him provide whatever we need.
This passage doesn’t refer to protection and defense, nor does it refer to housing and transportation. Does this mean God’s only concerned with a few of our basic needs, not all of them? Certainly not. The issue here is priorities: don’t focus on what we need as the pagans do, but on God’s kingdom and righteousness. This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t provide for or defend ourselves and our families.
“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. Be on your guard against men; they will hand you over to the local councils and flog you in their synagogues. On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.” (Matt. 10:16 – 20)
Jesus sent his disciples out as sheep among wolves; that is, unable to defend themselves from attack by civil and religious leadership. They were to be “shrewd”; the Greek word means thoughtful (giving thought to their ways), rational, clever, prudent and wise (in considering and preparing). They were to be “innocent”; the Greek word means to give careful thought to their ways and be prudent in what they do, but be free of guilt. He told them, “be on your guard against men”; this is self-explanatory, because he said men would arrest and beat them. He also said this would create opportunities to speak on his behalf before authorities and leaders. He didn’t mention running away or protecting themselves, but instead said to be on their guard, which implies expecting danger and preparing for it. Jesus’ emphasis here is to warn them and encourage them not to worry about what they should say because God will speak through them.
Jesus made similar statements at another time about the last days in Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21.
“[T]hey will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. This will result in your being witnesses to them. But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. All men will hate you because of me. But not a hair of your head will perish. By standing firm you will save yourselves.” (Luke 21:12 – 19)
The issue here is believers being arrested and persecuted because of Jesus’ name. We shouldn’t worry about what to say because he will give us words and wisdom none of our adversaries can resist or contradict.
He then makes seemingly contradictory statements: (1) their relatives and friends will betray them and put some to death; (2) not a hair of their head will perish; and (3) by standing firm to the end they will save themselves. Unlike the civil governments that will arrest and persecute them, families and friends will kill some of them. To resolve the apparent contradiction in Jesus’ statements, we must jump ahead briefly to the conclusions of this study. In response to our normal human instinct for self-preservation, we must be willing to avoid protecting, defending or preserving ourselves; however, we must be willing to sacrifice ourselves for the protection, defense or preservation of others. Regarding Jesus’ statements in the Luke 21 passage quoted above, the result of believers being arrested is their being witnesses to those in authority, and God then will give them words to say which the authorities can’t resist or contradict. So Jesus’ statements are not contradictory.
“When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another” (Matt. 10:23). His instruction to his disciples is consistent with his own practice: don’t hang around where you’re persecuted. In Matthew 5:10 – 12, he said they should consider themselves blessed if they’re persecuted, but here he instructs them to leave; so they should consider themselves blessed, but not be masochistic.
“Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matt. 10:28). In other words, don’t be afraid to die, as this life is temporal.
“If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it” (Matt. 16:24 – 25). To deny ourselves is to reject all forms of self-centeredness, and to take up our cross is to embrace what can harm or destroy us. Self-defense isn’t an option here; instead, we should be ready to lose our lives for Jesus’ sake. John 12:25 records a similar statement: “The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” So anyone who loves his earthly life (thinks mostly about this life or tries to protect himself under all circumstances) will lose his eternal life. Conversely, anyone who hates his earthly life, comparatively speaking, and is willing to give it up for Jesus’ sake will have eternal life, which again indicates self-defense is not an option. (Also see Matthew 10:39, Mark 8:35 and Luke 9:24.)
“Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt. 19:19). “In everything, do to others what you would have them do to you” (Matt. 7:12; also see Gal. 5:14; James 2:8). The Bible uses our concern for our own well-being as a standard for how we treat others. We all would want someone to protect us from harm, so protecting others from harm would be a legitimate application of these verses.
Jesus told a parable, in which he described a landowner who put a wall around his vineyard and built a watchtower (Matt. 21:33). He built protection for his vineyard, which was a common practice. Jesus didn’t suggest this was inappropriate; instead, he approved prudent measures to protect one’s personal property.
“But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into” (Matt. 24:43). If a thief might steal from us, it’s appropriate to protect our possessions. This is such common sense Jesus uses it as an example of being ready for his return. Clearly implied in this analogy is the homeowner’s response. He wouldn’t meet the thief at the door and ask him not to steal anything or offer him a small gift for not taking everything of value. Instead, it’s acceptable for the homeowner to keep watch and not allow anyone to break into his house.
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). Jesus portrays his followers as sheep he protects and cares for, doing what they can’t do for themselves. Although not his primary emphasis, his statement sets a clear example of sacrificing oneself to protect others, a principle we’ll address in a later section.
Consider what should be obvious about the shepherd laying down his life for his sheep: He’s not offering himself as a substitute meal, hoping to satisfy the attacking animal’s appetite so it will leave the sheep alone. Rather, the shepherd risks his life by combating wild animals threatening the flock. A pacifist or fearful shepherd would soon have no flock.
Jesus used implicitly violent analogies in many of his parables: overcoming a strongman before looting his house; killing tenants who murdered the landlord’s son; a shepherd laying down his life to protect his flock from wild animals; and other analogies. By his behavior and teachings, he proved he was not a pacifist. No one could legitimately accuse him of being fearful, timid or weak.
- Jesus required his followers to reject normal self-centered concerns and set an example by giving himself for the salvation of others. However, protection and defense are appropriate, especially when providing it for others.
- He said his followers should consider themselves blessed if people insult or persecute them because of him.
- He taught his followers to use discretion by avoiding danger at times, yet he sent them into enemy territory to destroy the enemy’s works.
(End of excerpt)
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October 14, 2005
Are Churches More Feminine Than Masculine?
Here is an issue I never considered - the balance of men and women congregates in churches. In a thoughtful post at Camassia's weblog linked below she notes that there seems to be a trend for there to be more gender-balance in evangelical churches and more women than men in "mainline" churches. Amongst other points, she wonders if this is because of the patriarchal nature of evangelical churches or maybe because of the difference in how men and women relate - that somehow churches are too girly.
What is also interesting to me is that, according to this piece, some churches struggle with the question of how to engage men in the church - especially young men. This is the same question I get asked by social service agencies in my region all the time.
via Camassia - It's A Guy Thing
Posted by Russell at October 14, 2005 06:52 AM


Total Booking €
IMPORTANT NOTE: The itinerary schedule is approximate and indicative, it will automatically adapt to the time your ship stays in port or to eventual circumstances.
The excursion is not suitable for people with reduced mobility traveling in a wheelchair or for baby carriages.
WEDNESDAY - the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood and the Cathedral of St. Isaak are closed. This visit will be replaced by the Fortress of St. Peter and St. Paul and Cathedral of the Lady of Kazan.
PRICE ON REQUEST TO email@example.com
DURATION: 10 HOURS
SUPPLEMENT : LUNCH 1 DAY: € 13.00 PER PERSON (OPTIONAL).
CLOSING DAYS AND ALTERNATIVES: MONDAY: Hermitage Museum
WEDNESDAY when the Church of San Savior on Spilled Blood and the Cathedral of St. Isaak are closed, your visit will be replaced by the Fortress of St. Peter and St. Paul and Cathedral of Lady of Kazan.
The itinerary will be adapted to the closing days and will be exchanged for an alternative visit if necessary.


My Personal Testimony
I'd like to share my story with you if I might. Not
that I think it particularly dramatic or necessarily
inspiring, but simply to share with you the story of
my faith journey which, at long last, has led me home.
At times it has been interesting, at other times agonizing
but God has been in control the entire time.
I was raised as an Episcopalian in a family that while
recognizing the value of the faith in our personal lives
did not speak about it much. As a child I was drawn
to religion and the church, but as time progressed I
fell away. When my parents were divorced, my mother
(with whom I lived) quit attending church, and so did
I. This was early in my teens and gradually I decided
that religion was okay for some but it wasn't essential.
When I was older, I would get religion, I thought to
Without a relationship with God, I was left to my
own devices -- and brother did I put myself through
a lot of hell! I was not very outgoing and had few friends.
I became something of a chameleon. I would change my
opinions, likes and dislikes to match whomever was my
best friend at the time. I was afraid that if I believed
differently, they would no longer like me. During high
school I got involved with drugs and began a lifelong
battle with manic-depression. College made things worse.
The friends I had were actively hostile to religion
(although they would admit their main problem was with
organized religion). My problems worsened: heavy drug
use, too much partying, a string of carnal, broken relationships
and even a growing struggle with pornography.
I also wandered into occult and new age thought and
came to the conclusion that while a spiritual life was
beneficial I didn't have time for it right now and that
when I did what was important was to find that truth
or tradition that resonated with me. In other words,
if it felt right, then it was the truth for me.
After college, I began my long struggle with Christianity.
A good friend
found Jesus through the Boston Church of Christ (aka
the International Church of Christ) and began witnessing
to me in the only manner that would get through to me
-- his life was transformed and he had such joy! While
I wanted what he had I didn't want to give up so much.
Instead of repenting, I began to search for the form
of Christianity that suited me best. Another Christian
friend did some heavy witnessing to me as well, but
nothing took much. I even attended a service at the
local International Church of Christ but I was so put
off by it that I never returned.
My struggle with depression and sexual sin deepened
until my life was miserable. I was alone, utterly and
Then the Lord brought the woman into my life who would
become my wife and start me truly on the road to salvation.
When we met, Cynthia was at the end of a bitter and
unhealthy marriage. He was heavily into drugs, had trouble
holding down jobs, was both psychologically and physically
abusive, and agnostic. Cynthia was even not allowed
to go to church. To make things worse, he was also an
adulterer. Cynthia had warned him years before that
when their children were grown she would leave him if
he hadn't changed his ways.
He never did and they were divorced. I'll never forget
that time. It was ugly and he wanted to hurt Cynthia
as much as possible while he still could. The marriage
was so obviously broken that even her own children urged
her to leave their father. I wish I could say that we
waited until she was divorced but we did not. Cynthia
had long since severed any emotional ties to him and
we became first fast friends and then fell in love.
What amazed me then and still does is how firm is
her faith in God and
her personal relationship with Jesus. She never pushed
me but simply made it clear that she wanted me to become
a Christian someday. What finally got me was watching
"the Last Temptation of Christ." This film IS blasphemous
... I readily grant that now. At the time though what
got through to me was that Jesus was a REAL person.
"I wish I'd known Him," I can remember telling Cynthia.
She told me I could, and the next day we were in church
Cynthia was raised amongst Mennonites and is a very
committed, fundamental Christian. We found a local Mennonite
church that was our church home for the next year or
That church saved our marriage. My addiction to pornography
and the like nearly broke it. Depression and rage all
but consumed me. The pastors (a husband/wife team) gave
us what they called Agape Counseling -- essentially
you confess your sins to the Lord in prayer.
Great! Now I'm free, I thought -- maybe. But they
made it clear this would be an ongoing struggle with
sin. Not a cheerful thought.
Then they began urging Cynthia and I to pray for the
gift of tongues, to receive the baptism of the Holy
Spirit. I was put off and confused, and my wife was
outraged to hear so-called Mennonites teaching this.
At the time I was not mature enough as a Christian to
appreciate the truth of what they were urging us to
We left that church and haven't regularly attended
since then. I drifted from church to church, religion
to religion. Each time, I KNEW I'd found the truth,
only to drift away when I changed my mind about what
I believed. I went from Buddhism, to Hinduism, to Judaism
and back again. At one point I even became involved
in an online Wiccan group. I also had an online affair
with one of the members. What came of this is another
near break to our marriage. Cynthia stayed with me,
she said, because she knew Jesus wanted her to be there
We stayed together. It has been hard at times but
I promised God that I would follow His lead from that
point on no matter how painful. Sadly, what happened
instead is I drifted from denomination to denomination
in search of God's church. Nothing seemed right and
yet everything sounded right! How could this be? Everyone
cannot be right can they? I tried to read the Bible
but I seemed to find support for every position in there
... it was essentially nonsense to me.
A couple of years ago I was sure that Islam was the
truth. I even went so far as to say the shahada (makes
you a Muslim) but then never followed-through. Once
again I'd been betrayed by following my heart, my feelings
to find the truth. I prayed to God for forgiveness and
guidance and knew the answer was in Jesus ... a personal
relationship with Him.
The last few years have seen me visiting (and each
time joining, never to return) countless churches: Pentecostal,
Apostolic, Roman Catholic, Nazarene, Primitive Baptist,
Russian orthodox, and, lastly, fundamental, King-James
What stopped me? How did I go from an on again off
relationship with church after church and a tendency
to hop from faith to faith whenever something arises
to challenge that faith? After all, I'd gotten to the
point where I'd just plain given up everything but faith
in God and Jesus.
Not long ago I was diagnosed as suffering
from bipolar disorder (manic depression). As I began
to take medicine and get therapy to treat the illness,
I began to see that my hopping from idea to idea, project
to project, faith to faith has its roots in the manic
depression. I wanted to get healthier and had changed
my diet in order to loose weight, lower my cholesterol
and my blood pressure. When I was diagnosed and began
learning about bipolar disorder, I saw answers for so
many problems. Hobbies and interests I'd long since
lost interest in became important to me again.
Foremost among these was my faith. Completely unlooked
for has been the desire to investigate the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter Day Saints. As you might have guessed,
I am not one to take other peoples criticism of various
religions as truth. So since I'd long been curious, and
since no denomination I'd examined thus far seemed to
have all the answers, I began reading about the Mormons
on the Internet.
What drew me immediately was the strong sense of family
and community. The Mormons I knew certainly seemed intelligent
and loving people, not at all the cult members others
would have me believe.
When I began to read the Book of Mormon I found myself
unable to dismiss it as a forgery, as foolishness. The
more I read the more I became certain that what I was
reading was the word of God.
It wasn't long before I contacted the missionaries
and began studying with them. Though I've only been
to one study thus far, I am feeling that God is calling
me to this faith.
So what's stopping me? My wife…. She is extremely
discerning and I trust her judgment on spiritual matters.
She has some misgivings and concerns about the LDS faith
and I've never been comfortable with the idea of going
it solo. God intends for us to worship together, not
separately. So, I prayed to God and asked for a sign
that this is the direction to continue heading in.
I never expected a clear sign, however, that is exactly
what I got. My wife recently read "Lost Boys" by Orson
Scott Card, a superb author who happens to be Mormon.
This book explained the faith to her in a way nothing
else had. When she'd finished the book, she asked if
we could go to the Mormon Church that next Sunday. She
feels God wants her to investigate this faith and see
for herself just what the services are like.
As it turns out, Cynthia and myself loved the Church
and eagerly look forward to the day when we can be baptized.
We’ve begun meeting with the missionaries twice
a week to get in the studies with them as quickly as
possible. Every day I grow stronger in my faith and
my testimony deepens ever richer. I can say now that
I testify that the Book of Mormon is true and that Joseph
Smith is truly a prophet of God.
Thank you for visiting my site. Please sign my guest
book before you leave.
God bless you!


One third of Christian ministers want to quit their jobs in the next two years due to stress, study finds
- Survey by the Unite union also found 89 per cent suffer work-related stress
- Of those ministers surveyed, 72 per cent were from the Church of England
- Dwindling attendances and donations have left vicars under rising pressure
One in three clergy members wants to quit in the next two years due to the stress of their job, a study has found.
A survey of nearly 1,000 Christian ministers by the Unite union – revealed exclusively today by The Mail on Sunday – also shows that 89 per cent suffer work-related stress, leading to anxiety and continual tiredness.
Of those surveyed, 72 per cent were from the Church of England.
Dwindling attendances and donations have left vicars under increasing pressure to raise funds, and the Rev Sam Maginnis, of Holy Trinity Church in Horsham, West Sussex, believes that many are facing burnout.
‘Clergy are having to go off sick for extended periods with stress and breakdowns,’ he said. ‘It is reaching a crisis point.
One in three clergy members wants to quit in the next two years due to the stress of their job, a study by the Unite union has found
‘This is a vocation and people come into it with the greatest ideals, but they find themselves ground by the realities.
‘The modern diocese sets all these targets to raise money. But many feel they are not being supported with a friendly, listening ear.’
Sarah Cook, who represents faith workers at Unite, said: ‘All religious groups need to take a hard look at whether they are providing the right conditions for their workers.
‘Talking about caring for the needy is one thing. Taking action when their own are in need is another.’
Dwindling attendances and donations have left vicars under increasing pressure to raise funds
Source: Read Full Article
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Louisiana man killed after trying to sell dirt bike on Facebook Marketplace, sheriff says
Jimmy Savile victim was told to 'go away' by BBC Top of the Pops crew
‘Moscow is silent’: Russian nationalists rage after stunning setbacks in Ukraine


(Taught by Toshi) Study Summary:
“Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us” is an incredibly difficult sentence both to understand and also to apply.
1. We learnt from Matthew 18 that true forgiveness ONLY comes with God, who did not just forget our sins but charged sin’s cost to Jesus, so that He could forgive us freely. Vertical forgiveness is free, but was not cheap! It cost Jesus everything to pay for us. (Matt 18:10-14)
2. Because of that true forgiveness, we who are God’s forgiven children, His found sheep we ought to be humble and together, forgive other Christians - horizontal forgiveness. There is a process for doing this, guidelines for this in Matt 18:15-17. We learnt that the ultimate goal of horizontal forgiveness is restoration, gaining the other brother. (Matt 18:15-20)
3. Finally, we learnt that forgiveness (beginning vertically and expressed horizontally) that God gives is meant for others, and if we are unable to forgive other Christians the 100 denarii Jesus has paid, we show that we don’t quite understand our own forgiveness - the 1000 talent debt He cancelled. (Matt 15:21-35)
FAQ: does this teach us to forgive non-Christians too? Absolutely, but it is not the main point because we understand true forgiveness that goes through Jesus paying the debt we owe (true forgiveness = vertical > horizontal forgiveness.) With non-Christians, we should go BEYOND just forgetting grudges - instead, help them see that God’s true forgiveness in Christ (vertical) could be theirs too, so that we can be properly restored to one another (horizontal).
A Call to Spiritual Reformation, D A Carson
Genesis (Preach the Word Series), Kent Hughes
The Great Enemy (Encounters with Jesus Series), Tim Keller
Grounded in the Gospel, J I Packer and Gary A Parrett
Preaching and Preachers, D M Lloyd Jones
A Brief History of Though, Luc Ferry
The Psalter Reclaimed, Gordon Wenham
Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est. Congregavit nos in unum Christi amor. Exsultemus, et in ipso jucundemur. Timeamus, et amemus Deum vivum. Et ex corde diligamus nos sincero. Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est. Simul ergo cum in unum congregamur: Ne nos mente dividamur, caveamus. Cessent iurgia maligna, cessent lites. Et in medio nostri sit Christus Deus. Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est. Simul quoque cum beatis videamus, Glorianter vultum tuum, Christe Deus: Gaudium quod est immensum, atque probum, Saecula per infinita saeculorum. Amen.
Where charity and love are, God is there. Christ’s love has gathered us into one. Let us rejoice and be pleased in Him. Let us fear, and let us love the living God. And may we love each other with a sincere heart. Where charity and love are, God is there. As we are gathered into one body, Beware, lest we be divided in mind. Let evil impulses stop, let controversy cease, And may Christ our God be in our midst. Where charity and love are, God is there. And may we with the saints also, See Thy face in glory, O Christ our God: The joy that is immense and good, Unto the ages through infinite ages. Amen


I thank God everyday for creating you and putting you in my life. You are wonderfully made, my beloved friend. Thank you for showing me what pure, unconditional love feels like. I can’t wait to see you again.
Revelation 5:13 NIV – Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing, “To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, forever and ever!”


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Quilting Program: Join us every Tuesday afternoon at 1:00PM to help make quilts for our community.
Prayer Meeting: Please join us for a group prayer meeting, every Wednesday morning at 10:30AM at the church. All our welcome! You'll be sure to learn about God, and make new friends!
Kidzone: All children are welcome! Every Wednesday from 6:30 - 8:00PM at the church. Join us for games, cooking, wood working and more! All while learning about our amazing God! For more information, or to volunteer, please contact the church.
Community Services Giveaway and Supper: Third Tuesday of every month, from 6:00 - 8:00PM at the church. If you are in need, we have clothes ranging from child to adult sizes, and also some home goods available for you. You are also welcome to join us for a delicious warm meal!


I am sharing my course paper in fundamental theology, submitted last week to my professor.
Cesar Y Granada [cjm]
Popular Religiosity in the Philippines:
A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE OF TRADITION, MAGISTERIUM AND SCRIPTURE
Popular religiosity in the Philippines is not a new phenomenon but rather a unique inculturation of our Faith that makes it relevant to the daily experience of the Faithful. The devotion to the Sto. Niño de Cebu, Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno, Novena to the Perpetual Help in Baclaran and St. Jude Thaddeus for impossible cases, and many other pious and personal devotions (panata) have been part of the history of Catholicism in the Philippines. Originally introduced by the Spanish colonizers, these pious devotions became part the identity of a Filipino Catholic until today.
According to the Catechism for Filipino Catholics, we are ‘spirit oriented’ people (#1469). With so much local belief to nature spirits of both good and evil nature, introducing the cult of Mary and the Saints did not encountered any local opposition. We easily identified our life to the various movements of the life of the saints, devotionals to Mary and Jesus and even the mysteries of their lives were venerated and made holy. Church dogmas and doctrines placed accidentally or by intent in our devotionals such novenas, prayer books and rituals is a blessing in disguise as it inculcated official dogmas thru pious remembrance similar to oral tradition. For example, the devotion to the Poong Nazareno highlighted the passion and death of Jesus. The pious remembrance of His passion and death, emphasized the Paschal mystery in an inculturated way where poverty and hardships in life is a source of holiness and sanctification. This emphasis became a liability as well that it make appear poverty as accepted fate. Other noteworthy examples include parents or grandparents pass on us devotions that have inherent doctrinal value such as God as the creator and all-powerful thru prayer rituals before planting time, waiting period and harvest time. Placing crucifix and palm leaves from Palm Sunday in every door in the house, images of Christ the King, Sacred Heart of Jesus, or the Blessed Virgin in various titles depending on the personal devotion of the family in every home. Christ is the savior, because we know by heart that Good Friday is the holiest day of the year and all life stops for a day for this special day. Lastly, Mary has been inculturated as “ina” or mother more than a queen who intercedes for us(CFC#1470); this is reflected on our fond devotion of the Rosary, Flores de Mayo, and various Marian titles all over the Philippines.
This paper will explain the phenomenon of popular religiosity or ‘panata’ through Scripture, Magisterium and Tradition. The paper will dwell on some personal experiences that can bring strong emotional attachments to the believers. From those emotions, images and insights will give us the worldview of the Filipino Catholic in facing life thru religion. As we reflect on these images, we will connect Fundamental Theology in trying to understand the Filipino psyche of ‘panata’. In the end, I will offer my theological reflection and learning in the course in articulating this unique Filipino tradition of ‘panata’ vis-à-vis Tradition, Scripture and Magisterium.
I aptly entitled this chapter as ‘panata’ because it captures the significant part of popular religiosity. According to the Catechism for Filipino Catholics (CFC#1765 & 467), the word ‘panata’ is a personal devotion asking for God’s favour (such as but not limited to healing, reconciliation, etc.) to uniquely Filipino sacred images; Sto Niño, Nazareno, the Blessed Virgin, and the saints which only takes place once a year. These personal or communal ‘panata’ comes in participating processions, pain-inflicting mortifications, pilgrimages, and other bodily sacrifice-like professions of faith and devotion. As I see these acts of personal devotions, I feel mixed feelings of anger and frustration, of happiness, gladness, and hope surface as I watch people of various backgrounds and social class becoming equal in front of these devotional practices.
I myself, was a product of ‘panata’ and even all my siblings. My mother, a pious Catholic woman, used to tell endlessly to us her Faith-experience and her childbearing, birth and rearing on all of her five children, as if all these stories were oral tradition whenever she gets the chance to remind us of our affinity and indebtedness to God in the Catholic Church. This personal oral tradition my mother proudly recounts in the nth time, help me also to root my very first contact with Catholicism and I may say, shaped also my vocation story.
I still remember not so long ago, when I myself tried to do a ‘panata’. It was the night of Maundy Thursday, the Mass of the Last Supper just ended and halfway through the vigil of the repository; our friends get ready for the pilgrimage to the Virgin of Antipolo. It was __ kilometers from Mandaluyong City to the Shrine of the Virgin of Peace and Good Voyage. For the record, I have been doing it for a number of years with no specific request or petition to God for a favour or miracle. I knew personally that this is just a popular piety of the people and trying it will do no harm. Probably it was my way of penance and thanksgiving as well, for a good life experienced throughout the year. We usually start by 900PM and proceed our way to the national highway. It was a beautiful chaos on our way. We see people from other cities as well, doing the walk like us. Sad to say, there were sporadic or no attempt for organized prayer and reflection as we do the pilgrimage. Some pray the rosary, some talk endlessly to their peers while others make fun with other groups and if you’re lucky enough riots erupt along the way. However, in later years, the Diocese of Antipolo erected Stations of the Cross along the highway to help the pilgrims pray and meditate while walking, but even this idea did not work due to implementation and plain inconvenience. People tend to enjoy walking together with no intention of really praying or meditate. We arrived in the Shrine at 300AM, it was already Good Friday. The shrine of Antipolo is teeming with people and overtly crowded. We inched our way to the very doors of the shrine, whispered some prayers and looked for a place to rest and regain our energy for another walk going home. As the City of Antipolo was crowded that dawn, we have to walk again some two to three kilometers to get a ride from a jeepney or bus. By 700AM, we arrive home, dead tired from the entire journey but feels blessed because we completed it.
Overall, the experience is not bad at all. The experience of ‘panata’ gave me the actual experience of how to fulfill one’s desire to please God in pain and suffering. I feel blessed even without official blessings of priests or accompanying liturgies. A sense of sanctified, by the pain and suffering, envelopes your gut feeling and mind. I feel I took part in the suffering and sacrifice of Christ personally, like Simeon who was a passerby along the way of the cross. I feel happy, a feeling of closeness to God, and a proud Catholic because of my ‘panata’.
Panata and Human Experience
In the book, “Doing Theology,” Lode Wostyn and Jose de Mesa explains the phenomenon of popular religiosity as “folk religiosity.” Folk religiosity can be understood as a superstructure inside culture that responds to a ultimate reality. However, the human response rests particularly in the initiative of the ultimate reality, which reveals and manifests its designs. There are variety of responses between the person and ultimate reality that through time offers a dynamic relationship. The natural ‘religiosity’ of people tend to put reality into something ordered design, existing on its own, as if designed intelligently but is beyond intelligible understanding. This understanding is religion. Moreover, this sense of a grand design or intelligence of universe and life beckons humanity into a certain lifestyle or calling, especially in moments of great anxiety. Thus, religion is “a system of beliefs, rites and practices directed toward the ‘ultimate concern’ of a society.” Basic to religion is the term revelation. Revelation is the offering of meaning and salvation. This meaning or salvation is a human experience of life-giving elements in contrast to reality, momentary and partial experiences of meaning or being saved. On the other hand, revelation can also become a source of death dealing aspects when the original experience of salvation or meaning becomes a fixed set of rules, doctrines, and laws. It becomes meaningless or even oppressive to the dynamic relationship of the Ultimate reality and the present situation of the human person.
Popular religiosity or Folk religiosity in the Philippines is a perfect example of this stagnant reality of Catholicism. It is remarkable to bring up the positive result of inculturation of Catholicism thru the devotions and sacramentals of our Faith – a clear departure from the Roman Christianity but it hit the wall as dead-end. It produced a nominal Christianity in the Philippines, a Faith that is only focused on rituals and devotions but lacking in personal commitment and does not offer any solution to the problems and woes of the society where it is situated. It is in this context, that we need to reflect and judge what went wrong. Popular religiosity is not bad in itself, since it offers means to respond to the Ultimate Reality inside a particular culture and milieu. As it is, it shares the same cultural strengths and weaknesses; a call to discernment is needed if we want to pass from nominal Christianity to a relevant Christian Faith in Jesus.
The following chapters, I will reflect on the popular religiosity in the Philippines vis-à-vis what we learned in Scripture, Magisterium, and Tradition. I will provide the present scenario and call our attention to some needed conversions in doing theology in these pious and popular piety of the Filipino Catholic.
Panata and Scripture and Magisterium
“For most of our people today the faith is centered on the practice of the rites of popular piety. Not on the Word of God, doctrines, sacramental worship (beyond baptism and matrimony). Not on community. Not on building up our world unto the image of the Kingdom. And we say it is because the “unchurched,” the vast majority of our people, greatly lack knowledge of and formation in the faith.” PCP II #13(emphasis mine)
This is the stark reality PCP II described the situation of popular religiosity in the Philippines. We often find Bibles in the homes of our faithful, unopened and full of dust in the shelf, reserved for special occasions or never at all. Yet the inculturation of popular devotions is based from the Holy Scriptures. The Poon Nazareno is the title of Jesus at his crucifixion, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” (Jn. 19, 19) Poverty still lingers in our country. In their plight and cries for assistance, the Poon Nazareno has been their primordial image and symbol for their struggle in life. Positively, it portrays the resilience of the Filipino people in poverty and trying times. Due to poverty, they rely on God as their last resort, and their suffering brings them to realization that being poor and in need comes first in the eyes of the Almighty. Negatively, the biblical image of the Poong Nazareno becomes a stagnant image where we divinize unjust poverty and perpetuate it to be status quo. There is no talk of people empowerment and involvement but they let themselves be the foot soldiers of the oppressive, traditional politics and economy.
Panata and Tradition
Understanding popular religiosity as a valid human response to the ultimate reality, we can say that salvation and/or meaning of life can be seen in the intricate drama and feelings of this popular religiosity that unfortunately our faithful cannot see in the mainstream Catholicism in the country. This is echoed by PCP II;
“These religious practices are rich in values. They manifest a thirst for God and enable people to be generous and sacrificing in witnessing to their Faith. These practices show a deep awareness of the attributes of God: fatherhood, providence, loving and constant presence. They engender attitudes of patience, the sense of the Cross in daily life, detachment, openness to others, devotion.” #172
PCP II decries also the plight of our lived tradition in the Philippines as noted previously (#13). We come to the Church only for devotions and not for the Holy Eucharist. We see the faithful thrive in processions, self-mortifications, and other self-inflicted sacrifices but without regard to the correct catechism of our Tradition especially liturgy and sacraments, and most importantly, the Faith remains a ritual and nominalistic with no ethical demand towards one’s self, one’s neighbor, and integrity of creation.
We are not left in the dark though, and efforts to change the status quo are started inchoately. In Quiapo Church, the faithful receives adult catechism every Friday to supplement the devotional practice and turn it into a mature adult decision to live the gospel values and church discipline. Previously, novenas, devotions and rituals of popular piety stand alone without the Holy Eucharist. Today, an effort from our liturgists produced liturgical celebrations with these sacramental devotions incorporated to the celebration of the Holy Eucharist.
As PCP II # 174-175 calls for revisions; popular religiosity may it be for Jesus, Mary, or the saints, should always bring us always to Jesus Christ, as our definitive mediator to God. Moreover, a Christocentric popular religiosity calls for a personal and communal discipleship. It should incorporate the Filipino identity, works for the development of the human person, and develops a sense of justice, peace and care for creation. Lastly, popular religiosity should always lead us to evangelization, to encounter the Triune God in His Divine Word in Jesus and proclaim Him in our lives not only in pious devotions but a life of conversion oriented towards love and compassion to all, especially the poor.
Popular religiosity in the Philippines will stay, as it incarnates the wish, hopes and dreams of the Filipino people, provides a clear picture of an inculturated Faith. Through its cathartic embodiment of sentiments of Faith, Hope, and Love it makes available the meaning and temporal redemption many of our people are looking for in their daily life. Through voluntary pain, sacrifice and mortifications, they achieve oneness of soul to the revealing God they encounter in the devotions. It is the task of the local Philippine church to invest on this rich existential meaning to offer more relevant liturgical movements which the faithful can identify and carry with their daily lives.
Scriptures, as the source of these popular devotions and piety, should be found more in the prayers of the devotions and become avenues for introspective reflections. It is high time for the Filipino Catholic to be evangelized and not only sacramentalized as CFC# 1590 places their context inside Catholicism. The Scriptures as inspired by God, can only find its relevance to the human reality if it can relate to the struggles, hopes and salvation the human person aspires for. In this regard, let us utilize the exegetical and mystagogical tradition of the scriptures in bringing a life of discipleship to the believer, that it can help the man and woman of today to be fully human lives that bears the glory of God.
The Magisterium as bishops and priests, in its role as magisterium cathedrae pastoralis (magisterium of the pastoral chair), should be critical in addressing the phenomenon of popular religiosity. The task of transforming them into vehicles of evangelization and renewal in liturgical inculturation (PCP II #172) seems to be a delicate and important task in bringing down the message of the gospel in consonance to the real life situation of the Filipino Catholic. The Magisterium in its local theologians (liturgists) in its second sense as magisterium cathedrae magistralis (magisterium of the teaching chair), should work always in an on-going dialogue with the social reality of the local Church and the deposit of Faith, namely the Scripture and Tradition (CCC#84 & 97) . Secondly, to reflect on the experience of popular piety and religiosity using the same deposit of Faith in transforming the social order so we can bring all things under Christ. (Eph 1, 10)
Tradition, in this particular context, should be open to the local context of the people. A tradition based out of time and static (propositional type of revelation) defeats the purpose of a loving and revealing God. If we are to propose a continuing revelation of God that reveals steadfast love in history, openness to the human experience where God is acting and intervening should be the way of doing theology.
Popular religiosity / piety in the Philippines will stay. The very identity of a Filipino Catholic is incomplete without the reference to popular devotions, and the same identity lacks deep commitment and conversion to live the gospel values.
As we celebrate five hundred years of Catholicism in the Philippines in the year 2021, the inculturation of these devotions should invite us to recollect our past and rekindle the meaning of its presence, to lead us to God and to neighbor. The reality of popular piety in the country is a blessing and challenge to the future of local Church. An inculturated tradition, it gives meaning to our hopes and struggles in life, transforming them to a vivid truth that God is journeying with us. So as not to lost this valued blessing from our past, we are challenged to bring these devotions into a life of discipleship, especially to the poor and powerless. Only then, we can make our Faith relevant into the future of the Filipino people.
 Lode L. Wostyn and Jose M. De Mesa, Doing Theology: Basic Realities and Processes, (Quezon City, Claretian Publications), 30-33
 Ibid., 31
 Ibid., 32
 Richard R. Gaillardetz, By What Authority, (Collegeville, MI: Liturgical Press), 60.
 CFC #679
 Ibid., 680-681


Divoš’s Gospel is one of the series of Bosnian gospels that have only recently begun to be processed and published more intensively. The manuscript of the Divoš’s Gospel was discovered in 1960 in the Church of St. Nicholas in the Podvrha near Bijelo Polje on Lim, and now is located in Cetinje in the Monastery treasury. The gospel written for the nobleman Divoš Tihoradić, who was mentioned as a witness in the charters of Ban Stjepan Kotromanić in 1332 and 1333, is one of the richest illuminated manuscripts in the entire medieval production of manuscripts in the Slavic language. This book brings a critical issue with an introductory study on a hundred pages where the language and graphics of this valuable manuscript are analyzed. Publishing such texts facilitate work for all slavist that analize the text of the gospels, and the multiannual emptiness in the editions of the Bosnian Gospels is filled, which is very important because they represent the most archaic monuments of this kind and are an indispensable link in the chain of this kind of research.
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