IT'S A SECRET

Scripture

Matthew 6:1-6

Teaching about Giving to the Needy

"Watch out! Don't do your good
deeds publicly, to be admired by others,
for you will lose the reward from your
Father in heaven. 2 When you give to
someone in need, don't do as the
hypocrites do-blowing trumpets in the
synagogues and streets to call attention
to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth,
they have received all the reward they will
ever get. 3 But when you give to someone
in need, don't let your left hand know what
your right hand is doing. 4 Give your gifts
in private, and your Father, who sees
everything, will reward you.

Teaching about Prayer and Fasting

5 "When you pray, don't be like the
hypocrites who love to pray publicly on
street corners and in the synagogues where
everyone can see them. I tell you the truth,
that is all the reward they will ever get.
6 But when you pray, go away by yourself,
shut the door behind you, and pray to your
Father in private. Then your Father, who
sees everything, will reward you.


The Easter season is often marked by
spectacular displays of art and public
worship--we might sing beautiful Easter
hymns at church, attend moving Easter
pageants, or participate in public acts
of prayer, fasting, or devotion. The
Scripture reading reminds us that in
the midst of these outward displays,
however appropriate they are, we are
called to humility, self-sacrifice,
reflection, and quiet suffering.

Prayer

O Lord, who hast mercy upon all,
take away from me my sins,
and mercifully kindle in me
the fire of thy Holy Spirit.
Take away from me the heart of stone,
and give me a heart of flesh,
a heart to love and adore Thee,
a heart to delight in Thee,
to follow and enjoy Thee, for Christ's sake,
Amen.
-- Ambrose of Milan, 4th century bishop

(Lent Devotional from Bible Gateway)

AN IRRATIONAL HATRED

(A brief thought from Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein)

Scripture:

"Therefore pride is their necklace;
they clothe themselves with violence.
From their callous hearts comes iniquity;
their evil imaginations have no limits.
They scoff, and speak with malice;
with arrogance they threaten oppression."
Psalm 73:6–8

Have you ever felt like someone didn’t like
you – maybe even hated you – for no
particular reason? It’s puzzling, isn’t it?
You wonder what you did to provoke a strong
reaction, and if you can’t think of anything
you did, it seems irrational. We Jews often
find ourselves as the objects of such irrational
hatred.

For example, at various points in history,
Jews have been accused of being too poor or
too wealthy; too politically domineering or too
politically uninvolved. We’ve been accused of
being too spiritual and too secular,
unambitious and overly aggressive, too
separated from others and too assimilated.
Does that make sense? How can we be all
those things?

Anti-Semitism, like other forms of racism, is
a condition of the heart. It reflects a callous
heart that has lost sensitivity to others. The
writer of Psalm 73 says that “from their callous
hearts comes iniquity” (v. 7). A hardened heart
that has lost sensitivity to others is a breeding
ground for evil.

In addition to a callous heart, anti-Semitism
forms in a conceited mind. At the base of racism
is the conceited belief that one person or group
is better than another and “their evil imaginations
have no limits” (Psalm 73:7). Rather than
listening to the voice of reason, irrational thoughts
prevail, driven by passionate hatred. For those
who promote anti-Semitism, their hatred is simply
hatred, without any reason or justification for it.
This irrational racial hatred has often led to
inconsistent accusations against the Jews –
such as those above – because the accusations
are not based on logic or merit, but hate.

Finally, the psalm writer says that those with
callous hearts and conceited minds also have
threatening lips, for “they scoff, and speak with
malice; with arrogance they threaten oppression”
(Psalm 73:8). Anti-Semitism, and other racial
prejudice, often expresses itself in threats,
intimidation, and oppression. Acts of terrorism
against Jews and Jewish icons are an attempt
to instill fear in the lives of Jews.

As the psalm writer concludes, when faced with
unreasonable and unmerited prejudice, there is
only one place to find hope and to remember,
“Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my
right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and
afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have
I in heaven but you?”(vv. 23–25). We can have
confidence in God’s presence and guidance no
matter what our circumstances or difficulties.

With prayers for shalom, peace,

Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein

(from: Holy Land Moments Daily Devotional)

THERE MUST BE SOME MISTAKE

Lent

Read Mark 8:31-33

"And Peter took Him aside and began to
rebuke Him." (Mark 8:32)

Reflection:

It was just a routine checkup and Ann
expected everything to be fine. She felt
good, was sleeping well, had plenty of
energy, she even had been losing weight
like she wanted. The doctor said she was
in perfect health but he wanted her to take
a routine test. She left his office in high
spirits. But when she phoned for the results
on Monday she felt like she'd been slapped
in the face- she had cancer.

Peter must have felt a similar shock when
Jesus said He "must suffer many things, be
rejected and be killed." He couldn't wrap his
mind around it. "Jesus will suffer and die?
There must be some mistake. Jesus is God's
Son, the promised Savior. He can't die! He
has to save us from the Romans." He turned
Jesus aside and started trying to straighten
Him out.

Peter must have been shocked and hurt when
Jesus turned and forcefully said, "Get behind
Me, Satan!" After all, he had only the best
intentions for Jesus.

But Jesus knows mankind's true enemies
are not political rulers like Tiberius Caesar,
but spiritual rulers like Satan, death and hell.
They must be defeated- and the only way to
defeat them is to walk the road of suffering
and death. Jesus' suffering is necessary- so
necessary He will permit nothing and no one
to stand in His way. Jesus is determined to
save us from our sins and win eternal life for
Peter, His disciples, and all people.

THE PRAYER:

Lord You showed such determination to
save us from our enemies. Give me such
determination to follow You in all circumstances.
Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT MY MISSION

Read Mark 8:29-31

Scripture:

"And He began to teach them that the
Son of Man must suffer many things."
(Mark 8:31)

Reflection:

What is your mission in life? What do you
think you were put here to do? Some of us
find it difficult to answer that question. But
for Jesus the answer is crystal clear. The
reason He became human and was born
into this world at Christmas was to suffer
and die for us.

At Christmas when you look down at that
baby lying in Bethlehem's manger, suffering
and death is the farthest thing from your
mind. But there are already hints about
where His life will lead. If He had not come
to suffer, then why was He lying in a feeding
trough when He should have been lying in a
soft crib? Why was He raised by a carpenter
as His foster-father when that meant He
would take up that trade and everything that
goes with it- the cuts and bruises, the
blisters and calluses?

If God's Son became human to share our
life- and to transform it for us- He had to
share all of it. Not the life of ease and luxury
that few enjoy, but the very opposite- the
worst experiences people have. He had to
know poverty, physical suffering, grief,
loneliness, abuse, ridicule, torture, rejection
and finally death. That was Jesus' mission-
to exchange His life for ours, to overcome
our suffering by His own suffering- and free
us from death by His own death.

And more than that- Jesus tells them the
end of the story- He will not remain dead.
In three days He will rise again.

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, You did not hold Yourself
back from suffering, but sacrificed Your life
to save us all. Thank You for giving meaning
and a purpose to my life. Amen.

(Lutheran Hours Ministries)

BE ALL YOU CAN BE!

"Repent, and believe the Good News"
(Mark. 1:15)

There's an amusing story of a farmer
who owned a very beautiful horse of which
he was very proud. One day he rode him
into town and carefully tied the animal to
the hitching post in front of the general
store. Two thieves, passing through the
town, spied the handsome horse and
decided to steal it. They also decided
on a clever strategy to carry out their
plan. One of them untied the horse and
rode swiftly away. The other remained
by the post. When the farmer emerged
from the store and saw that his horse
was gone, he was about to shout for
help when the conspirator walked up to
him. In a sad, low tone he said, "Sir,
I am your horse. Years ago I sinned,
and for my sins I was punished. I was
changed into a horse. Today my
sentence is over, and I can be released
if you will be so kind." The farmer was
dumbfounded, yet touched by the story.
So he sent the man away wishing him
luck in his new life. Several weeks later
the farmer went to a fair in a neighboring
town. Great was his surprise to see his
own horse for sale there. After gazing
long at the animal to make sure that his
eyes did not deceive him, he walked
over and whispered into the horse's ear,
"So -- I see you've sinned again!"

When we sin again, even though we
don't turn into a horse, our humanity is
diminished. And we are called to
repentance, which means to restore
our lost humanity -- to transform
ourselves into the fully human person
God wants us to be.

(Sunday Sermons on Line)

I'M PROUD

I would like to talk on a different subject.
Some of you will say this is political or
radical. You may even say that it has
nothing to do with religion or faith. That's
ok please remember you are entitled to
your opinion.

I have four wonderful children. I am proud
of each one them. Each one of my children
presents a particular gift or talent that I'am
very proud of.

I would like to talk to you about my youngest
son. He has become a part of a movement
that has been in the news lately. He is a
protester, part of the Occupy Movement.
You still hear something about these
protesters every once in awhile in the
news. He's kind of like his old man, you
see I was a protester too, yes in the 60's
against a war, not those who fought the
war, but against the war itself.

I'm proud to say that my son was arrested
for what he and I believe in. I don't think
he minds me telling you this, if he does
it's to late. Now I realize that many of
you will have all kinds of images in your
mind about my son and about these
protesters. I'm sure they are the same
kind of images that many had of me when
I was arrested. I can't change those
attitudes and images and I'm not going to try.

My son and many of these protesters,
have a problem with a society that views
human beings as commodities. They have
a problem with a culture that celebrates the
logic of greed. You see they see the old
idea of democracy, that is, of the few that
governs the many through the power of
capital as being wrong. They see
democratic values in working together
in the very interest of social responsibility
and the common good. Does any of this
sound familiar, I think I learned this about
Jesus in church. I also believe this is
what I read in the Scriptures. In other
words, the man I put my faith in, that
I believe is the Son of God, the reason
I call myself a Christian said the same
thing.

Many of these protesters are shifting
the national conversation to important
issues. From poverty and joblessness,
to corporate corruption. They are asking
the big questions about our American Society
and the very foundations of our morality.

ARE YOU ASKING QUESTIONS?
WHAT IS THE FOUNDATION OF YOUR
MORALITY?

I'M PROUD SON!!!

DON'T WORRY

Scripture:

So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow
will bring its own worries. Today's trouble
is enough for today!"
Matthew 6:25-34 NLT

Reflection:

"Jesus encourages us not to worry about
that which we cannot control or about that
which is not important. Worry instead, he says,
about your priorities and the condition of your
soul. When you find yourself overcome with
worry, take a careful look at the priorities of
your heart. When God is firmly established
at the center of our focus and desires, worry
loses its grip on our lives.

(from the Touch Point Bible with commentaries
by Ron Beers and Gilbert Beers (Tyndale), p. 829)

WHAT IS THE MEANING OF LIFE?

Scripture:

"He taught them with authority" (Mark 1:22).

LIFE

A number of years ago The editors of
"Life Magazine" compiled an inspiring collection
of essays in answer to their question, "What
is the meaning of life?" From more than 25
countries, 200 poets, scientists, philosophers
and just "everyday people" shared their vision
of the meaning of life. The following essays
are just a small sampling from this life-enriching
collection. The first is from Capetown South
Africa's Archbishop Desmond Tutu who wrote,
in part:

The evolution of the world is a great manifestation
of God. As scientists understand more and more
about the interdependence not only of living things
but of rocks, rivers - the whole of the universe -
I am left in awe that I, too, am a part of this
tremendous miracle. Not only am I a part of this
pulsating network, but I am an indispensable part.
It is not only theology that teaches me this, but
it is the truth that environmentalists shout from
the rooftops. Every living creature is an essential
part of the whole. Our surroundings are awesome.
We see about us majestic mountains, the
perfection of a tiny mouse, a newborn baby, a
flower, the colors of a seashell. Each creature is
most fully that which it is created to be, an almost
incredible reflection of the Infinite, the invisible, the
indefinable. All women and men participate in that
reflected glory. We believe that we are in fact the
image of our Creator. Our response must be to live
up to that amazing potential - to give God glory by
reflecting His beauty and His love. That is why we
are here and that is the purpose of our lives.

The next essay was written by renowned
Grammy-winning composer and recording artist
Quincy Jones, a portion of which I will read:

In 1974 I was blessed to have survived a brain
aneurysm and two brain operations. It is unfortunate,
but sometimes it takes a life-threatening crisis
such as this to get your undivided attention, and this
certainly did. I was given the opportunity to renew my
basic belief in the importance of spirituality, reopening
communications on a one-to-one basis with the
Creator. God has given each one of us approximately
25,000 to 26,000 days on this earth. I truly believe
He has something very specific in mind: 8300 days
to sleep, 8,300 to work and 8,300 to give, live, play,
pray and love one another. We were born to struggle,
to face the challenges of our lifetime and, ultimately,
to evolve to a higher consciousness. When we find
we can unyieldingly bestow our trust to that inner
voice, it is evidence of our divine guidance. The
universal karmic law dictates: "You get what you
give" and "You've got to bring some to get some.
" I would like to believe that the highest state of
evolution in our lifetime is to reach a state where
grace and giving reign and we experience the
oneness of ourselves with the creations of this
universe. We must search for the good in each
of God's creations; it is important to invest our
faith in the best part of humanity.

BECAUSE YOU LOVE ME

For all those times you stood by me
For all the truth that you made me see
For all the joy you brought to my life
For all the wrong that you made right
For every dream you made come true
For all the love I found in you
I'll be forever thankful
You're the one who held me up
And never let me fall
You're the one who saw me through, through it all

You were my strength when I was weak
You were my voice when I couldn't speak
You were my eyes when I couldn't see
You saw the best there was in me
Lifted me up when I couldn't reach
You gave me faith 'cause you believed
I'm everything I am
Because you loved me

You gave me wings and made me fly
You touched my hand I could touch the sky
I lost my faith, you gave it back to me
You said no star was out of reach
You stood by me and I stood tall
I had your love I had it all
I'm grateful for each day you gave me
Maybe I don't know that much
But I know this much is true
I was blessed because I was loved by you

You were my strength when I was weak
You were my voice when I couldn't speak
You were my eyes when I couldn't see
You saw the best there was in me
Lifted me up when I couldn't reach
You gave me faith 'cause you believed
I'm everything I am
Because you loved me

You were always there for me
The tender wind that carried me
The light in the dark shining your love into my life
You've been my inspiration
Through the lies you were the truth
My world is a better place because of you

You were my strength when I was weak
You were my voice when I couldn't speak
You were my eyes when I couldn't see
You saw the best there was in me
Lifted me up when I couldn't reach
You gave me faith 'cause you believed
I'm everything I am
Because you loved me

You were my strength when I was weak
You were my voice when I couldn't speak
You were my eyes when I couldn't see
You saw the best there was in me
Lifted me up when I couldn't reach
You gave me faith 'cause you believed
I'm everything I am
Because you loved me

I'm everything I am
Because you loved me

It is amazing to me how this very popular
Celine Dion song best describes my feelings
towards my God.