In his book, "Souls on Fire," Elie Wiesel, suggests that when we die and go to meet our Maker, we're not going to be asked why we didn't become someone important.. Instead, we will be asked, "Why didn't you accept the fire of God's Love into your heart to become the person God intended for you to be?

"When you live in the past,

with its mistakes and regrets,

it is hard. I am not there.

My name is not I WAS.

"When you live in the future,

with its problems and fears,

it is hard. I am not there.

My name is not I Will Be.

An astrophysicist reflecting on the age of our Universe once quipped, "sure, thirteen billion years is a long time, but it's nothing compared to eternity." We can also say that all of the distance between stars and galaxies is nothing compared to the expanse in the realm of the entire Kingdom of God’s.

Words are not always a accurate as we may hope.  When did everything become “Perfect” if you listen, "perfect" is used all the time. You give your name or address, and the feedback is “Perfect!” Now, which item would you like from our menu? Whatever you answer, the comeback is “Perfect.”

Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me, 

"I am a fragment of a mirror whose whole design and shape I do not know. Nevertheless, with what I have I can reflect light into the dark places of this world -- into the black places in the hearts of men -- and change some things in some people. Perhaps others may see and do likewise. This is what I am about. This is the meaning of my life."

When babies are born, they are said to be a bundle from heaven. And if this is so, isn't being childlike the nearest any of us ever get to the Creator? As we read in Matthew's Gospel, Jesus reminds us, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

Four trees started to grow on top of a small hill. Three of the trees were very selfish, arrogant and proud trees, always boasting how big and tall they would become, teasing each other about how they would live forever. The fourth tree was very happy and content, just to be a tree.

The Zero Star Hotel is a unique hotel that is the work of two Swiss conceptual artists. They explain that the "Null Stern Hotel" — which translates from German to “Zero Star Hotel” -- is purposefully "anti-idyllic." The owners state that the only star in this setting is you.

Isaac Newton once said: "I can take my telescope and look millions and millions of miles into space. But I can set it aside and go into my room, shut the door, get down on my knees and see more of heaven and get closer to God than I can be assisted by all the telescopes and material things on earth."

Looking up, beautifully arched over our heads, was a rainbow. The wonder of it all filled our eyes with tears. I held my breath and listened closely, for I knew that at any moment, some great choir would break out in Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus." There was peace in the midst of the storm! There was God in the midst of the storm!”

Rabbi Kushner’s main thought is God chooses not to intervene to protect people from tragedies, nor will he punish or reward them for their actions, preferring that humans use their free will without interference. 

As a child of God, you can make every day a beautiful day in the neighborhood because you are to minister to the world. Whatever your secular vocation -- doctor, celebrity, student, educator – whatever neighborhood you live in – country, city or suburban -- whatever your family situation is – big or small, married or single -- while you are there, you are a full-time minister of Jesus Christ.

Dag Hammarskjöld’s lines always seemed like a perfect quote to begin a New Year, this year more than ever before! To thank God for all that has been, even the suffering and pain that we may have endured. To say Yes! to God for all that shall be, without any idea of what that might mean? This is the work of faith, and the work of a lifetime.

This is the day of Epiphany, a word that has come to mean a revelation, a new idea, a clarity in understanding and knowledge, and wisdom from on high. Yesterday is gone, tomorrow is not here but today is God’s gift - that is why it is called the “Present”! Enjoy each day as God gives it to you ! Now there can be for you today’s epiphany!

That is not unlike the situation of Jesus' disciples in our Gospel. Jesus has been telling them to pour all their resources into their call to be His disciples and hold nothing back.  They did and “Living Water” poured forth, for themselves and those that they gave the water of life.Jesus gives us love that sprouts and grows out of His love within us.

Why so much goodwill in the Season we call Christmas? Why all the celebrating? Because a little more than two thousand years ago, planet earth was visited by God in a unique way. In the birth of the Lord Jesus, we see God reaching out to reveal His Goodness, Mercy, Grace, Forgiving Love to enfold the earth and all that is within it.

In the darkest hours of war, we see the brightest examples of hope from those who desire deep down inside to be the persons God created them to be. This is the message of peace that we are called to reflect.As God’s Christmas gift Jesus Christ comes to you as the Prince of Peace. He brings you the gift of peace. 

God’s Kingdom coming to earth as it is in heaven finds its beginning in a Bethlehem stable with a baby crying in the night. It is here where heaven and earth meet that should draw your attention, your heart, your very life. For it is here in this humble beginning that Salvation has come to you!

I heard a gentle voice speak within me: "These are children; they are learning and are doing very well." The voice, of course, spoke the truth. I was judging at first according to my expectations, not accepting that they were all performing according to their ability.

Is this not the spirit of Advent?  Each person preparing to bring the best gift of themselves to the Christ Child

Today, we are invited to wrap ourselves in the Good News of a gracious God who becomes one of us to tell us that He loves us. The Good News that the harvest is plentiful and the crops have come in and we know that just as the birds of the air we too shall be fed.  The Good News that we have friends and a church family who love us and hope to be with us and see us in this glorious time of year called.the Holiday Season

According to an ancient Hindu legend, there was a time when all human beings were gods. However, they treated their divinity with such disrespect that Brahma, the chief god, decided that their deity should be taken from them and hidden in a place where they would never again find it. The question was, “Where to hide it?”

Where there is Jesus there is always more that enough love to go around always more than enough joy to go around, always more than enough faith to go around and always more than enough hope to go around. 

Jesus, the Bread of Life, is always dealing with abundance.

In the Legend of the Golden Windows, a young boy works hard all day on the family farm. And each evening at sunset, when the workday was through, the boy had an hour to himself before the evening meal. When the time came, the boy would go up to the top of a nearby hill and look across the valley to a house with windows that shone like gold and diamonds.

He was my North, my South, my East and West,

My working week and my Sunday rest,

My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;

I thought that love would last forever: I was wrong.

Psychologists tell us that to have a life that is fulfilled and even happy; one needs to cultivate the art of generosity - to be a giving person!

We have an inner human need to matter and to make a difference. This sense of fulfillment grows as you give. Generosity is a Spiritual vitamin and it works. 

In Eugene O'Neil's story of a poignant psychological struggle "Days Without End," John Loving, a Roman Catholic boy, prays that his parents, who have been injured, might not die. But their lives were not saved by the kind of miracle he had expected, and he loses his faith. He becomes a skeptic and a cynic. Inwardly, however, he keeps searching deeply for some answer.

You begin to get your best possible glimpse of the miracle of life when you realize that you are special in God's creative plan. You are one of God's "originals" — wonderfully mysterious in your uniqueness.  You are necessary! You belong! God's plan to fulfill His creation includes you; needs you! And you need others bound together by God’s Holy Spirit in forgiving love.

A kind word in a time of need; a caring smile in a time of stress; a bit of encouragement in a time of frustration; a spark of hope in a time of despair; a gesture of understanding in a time of confusion -- summed up in this line from a beautiful poem: "In a moment these better things are gone -- but there are a hundred ripples circling on and on."

It is written in Daniel 2:29-21 that God Blessed us with this change of Season. 

“Daniel said: ‘Blessed be the name of God from age to age, for wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons,’”

This is Fall with all of its wonder and glory. So, enjoy, God’s beautiful gift to you and all of us. 

A flower, a butterfly, a grain of sand, a single raindrop -- each serves a purpose in God's Creation. We cannot even begin to visualize all that exists in God's Plan and by God's Design! Why this grain of sand? Why this tiny flea? I don't know. But to think that in this world everyone can grow to be like the thing they love most – that's awesome!"

A father and son went fishing together one afternoon. As they prepared to cast their lines out into the lake, the father said excitedly, "Do you see that big swirl? That must be a really big fish out there." With that, he tossed his line out in the direction of the swirl and waited. But nothing happened. Suddenly, he saw it again.

Prophets are people who are more interested in playing to an audience of one (God) than being accepted by the crowd, they are more interested in being faithful than being careful to not offend. These are the prophets. We need them, God uses them and they often say things that we just do not want to hear, or accept but in our heart of hearts we know that their message rings with the Truth of God). 

As the ancient philosopher Socrates told us (through his student Plato), “the unexamined life is not worth living.” So, Philosophy means “love of wisdom,” and the philosopher is concerned with seeking the truth. We who follow Jesus can claim his words, that He is the Truth (the truth of God and the only Truth that really ultimately matters).

The gospel message often comes to us through a messenger, whether it’s an angel whispering into Mary's ear, or a parent telling a child a story, or a prophet standing knee-deep in a river. What is most striking about the messenger, John the Baptist, is that he was never near a church. Those who insisted on staying inside the church never heard his message.

 We serve a God who loves us like his children. Maybe we take ourselves too seriously and don’t take God seriously enough! In the beginning God designed a garden for us to enjoy and have time to play and have fun. God is fun, enjoyable, and encourages for us to have a spirit cleansing good laugh. So, have fun, and enjoy today for you will never have another one like it.

My dear friend Rev. Dr. Bob Pitman used to say that his birthday comes every year no matter what because you just can’t stop the calendar BUT what matters is what you do for the Lord each day that is on that calendar’s page.

Of all the ways that God feeds us, there is one unique, supremely valuable, and incredibly nourishing way: through His presence in the Living Christ. God wants us to understand that if we feed upon Jesus, our spiritual Bread, we will be nourished as in no other way. "I am the Bread of Life," Jesus says.

In our symphony of life, we all experience those spiritual and emotional ups and downs, highs, and lows. The shadowy goblin of death comes roaming around, and we're feeling mighty low. But deep down inside, we know that goblin will be back -- and we're afraid. Then something beautiful breaks through to sweep that away, and our life seems bright and clean again.

I have heard it said that God gave us two ears and only one mouth. This means that God knows that we need to listen twice as much as we talk. There is truth to that. We often listen far too little. We also need to listen with our heart so we can hear what a person is really trying to express.

Remember how Jesus said, "Listen, anyone who has ears" (Matthew 13:9).

When you plant a seed, you put it in the dark, quiet ground, and nothing happens: no violins sing, trumpets blow, or drums roll. Nevertheless, the spark of life takes place often in the cold, dark, damp ground of sorrow as a person reaches out to minister to the hurt, troubled, grief-stricken, devastated and heartbroken.

if a student graduates "Cum Laude," it means "With Honors."  "Magna Cum Laude" translates "With High Honors. And if a student graduates "Summa Cum Laude," it designates “With Supreme Honors.”
“But,” he continued, “there's a new honor I plan to use in the future to be called ‘Magna Cum Pellidentium,’ which means ‘By the skin of your teeth.’”

The famed comedian  was persuaded to inspect a palatial ocean-front estate that was for sale. The realtor showed Groucho the many beautiful features of the estate by the sea. Finally, he was shown the wide view of the Pacific. "Now, what do you think?" he challenged. "I don't care for it," replied Groucho. "Take away the ocean, and now what have you got?"

Jesus returns home to Nazareth.  His fellow villagers have heard accounts of His revolutionary teachings and His astonishing miracles. Now, here He is, in the flesh, back home again, teaching in the local Synagogue. And the villagers "were astonished" by what they saw and heard. But later they pushed him out! 
 

Thomas Edison wrote these lines:

"We don't know the millionth part of one percent about anything. We don't know what water is. We don't know what light is. We don't know what gravitation is. . . We have a lot of hypotheses about these things, but that is all. But we do not let our ignorance about all these things deprive us of their use."

There is a rush on to combat excess weight or even obesity. Of course we have read in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body.”

Most of us may have assumed that our friends and neighbors may not be going to church but thought if questioned they would say that they believed in God but that is not the case for one-fourth of them. Of course the poll also found that “Over seven in 10 say religion is losing its influence in U.S. society.”

The religious history of humanity tells us that in those times when the spark grows dim -- when all manner of evil obscures hope for peace and brotherhood, God raises His most formidable prophets. The strongest, loudest, most profound voices of hope always seem to receive the Holy Spirit Power to sound the trumpet of love and hope. 

Yes, it is so true that we do clothe ourselves with Christ as we wait for the robe of righteousness but today we need the whole armor of God:   The Armor of God - Ephesians 6:10-18 “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 

What is S.I.N.? Lots of ways to answer this one some say it is breaking God’s Laws, others say it is the result of turning your back on God, while others say it is the outcome of living an evil life. I think that they are all true.  I like to say that S.I.N. is and acronym for Self Inflected Nonsense!

History of tells us that when all manner of evil obscures any hope, God raises His most formidable prophets. The strongest, loudest, most profound voices of hope always seem to come in different ways but are always present in special ways. Hitler did not prevail. Neither did Mussolini or Tojo. Voices of hope and freedom were stronger and won the day.

Mother Teresa was once asked how she was able to accomplish so much good work for the poor. “One by One,” she replied. Have you ever noticed how from seemingly insignificant beginnings, movements can grow to a point of awe and wonder? That one by one, small steps can amount to spectacular outcomes?

People today are always susceptible to a con-job, scammers are always out there ready to “give” you  computer assistance, or help you receive thousands of dollars in government pay out or corporate winnings, sell you new insurance or help you “unfreeze your bank account” or keep you from being prosecuted by the IRS or Social Security.

As a community of faith, one of the most serious charges that can be leveled at us is the claim that "Church People" are turned in on themselves. We Christians are vulnerable in the extreme to such a charge because the Gospel we preach is the Good News that God is a loving God who cares about all His human creatures. .

Straightforward. Simple. Relating a lot of information. The same can be said of our text in today's Lesson wherein Jesus says to the Apostle Thomas, "Doubt no longer but believe." Straightforward, simple, and conveyed in a kind of show and tell way. Go ahead and touch if that is what it takes for you but blessed are those who can not see but still believe.

Orchidaceous! I can think of no better opportunity to call forth one of my favorite words than today, Monday of Holy Week leading us to Easter Sunday. Even when you hear it for the first time, it's a word that immediately evokes an image of awesome beauty. When no other word will do, it is an expression of something extravagantly wonderful.

The Holy Spirit is given to the church to bring about community in the deepest sense, a true loving and accepting spirit and a fellowship dependent upon grace for themselves and for each other. When the Holy Spirit is present and active you can truly sense the bonds to togetherness the are beautiful, hopeful, faithful and gloriously joyfully loving.

Sheep  are very skittish and run away at any unfamiliar sound, animal, or person. But once they get to know you, they are very dependent creatures needing to be led to water and given good grass to graze and protection from dangers. Sheep need and depend upon a “Good Shepherd” and so do we.

Remember that God created us to be relational beings. To relate first to Him and then with each other. One of our great responsibilities today is to help people find their way into the church, God’s family and have a beautiful loving relationship with the church family as together we dispel loneliness in the arms of a loving Heavenly Father.

We have the promised commitment of God and the reassurance of our faith the God’s somedays are eternal guarantees ready to happen, to spring into being, and fix’n to be real. So bet your life on God and you have the absolutely safest bet in heaven and on earth.

Into every loving relationship comes the inevitable quarrel that moves those involved into their respective corners, holding fast to their version of the truth. And as the saying goes, there’s three sides to every story: Yours, mine, and the truth.

If a member of the tribe acts irresponsibly, they are placed at the center of the village. Every man, woman, and child  gathers around the accused in a large circle. Then, one at a time, everyone calls out all the good things the person in the center has done previously. All the positive attributes and the kind acts are recited carefully and at length.

Mortified and disgusted by leprosy, St. Francis may have wished to pass by on the other side of the road, but God’s still, small voice told him to stop, reach out, and embrace the man with leprosy.

Both the man with leprosy and Francis were transformed in that moment. 

Jesus says, "if you want to know all you need to know about who you really are and where you’re going with your life - Trust Me! Not just when it's convenient, not only when it's easy, not just when it doesn't hurt, but trust Me, especially when you feel like you can't handle life's burdens anymore."

And Jesus said to them, “19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.””

With fiery words of hope, wisdom, and a passion for justice that resonate as much today as they did years ago, Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., stirred the deepest convictions of listeners everywhere, inspiring them to extraordinary acts of courage and perseverance

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when he came out of the water, immediately He saw the heavens opened and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove; and a voice came from Heaven, 'You are My beloved Son, with You I am well pleased'".

On the second visit the Rabbi brought drinks to all to enjoy and how did these people from the concentration camp still suffering the ravages of torture and malnutrition respond? Each lifted their glass and cried with a loud voice that rang throughout the building and beyond, “ L'chayim! ” which means “to life!”