Friday, January 12, 2024

Bloom and Grow

  


Flowers bring beauty and serenity to our lives. On every occasion we present flowers to our friends and family, to bring cheer to the day. Think about how a flower, becomes a flower and presents its beauty to the world and there is so much we can learn from it.

Think about the dandelion. Dandelions are both fast growing and incredibly hardy. It can spread both by seeds and by new shoots from roots or root segments. The seeds are easily blown around by wind and will quickly spread into adjoining downwind areas. It needs no special treatment yet produces 13 benefits for humans. 

But what is more important is this:  a flower blooms where it grows. The dandelion does not say I will grow here but bloom there. It does not put conditions to its blooming. It simply shares its beauty and its scent, wherever it is, and goes wherever the wind takes it. It does not put-up conditions for sharing its goodness.

But we people do, don't we? "I wish I had more money so I could feed the hungry". "I wish I had more time, to visit the sick, or the widows, or lonely people around me". Or simply, "I can't come to Church because I don't have my car this Sunday". 

Sounds familiar? Sure, it does, we do it all the time! 

 Let us remember some key instructions - 

..... ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

Christmas is over. Will sorow bring you down?



Tuesday, January 9, 2024

Live like a King!

                                                 



Read Matthew 18 21-35

This is a very important parable and teaching. Probably the essence of Christianity revolves around this principle of forgiveness. Not only in thought but indeed and action. I doubt there may be a single person in this world who does not bear some ill will towards someone else.

So today we quote from Ms. Francis Taylor on this very important topic.

"I'm sure you are familiar with the parable of the unjust servant. The servant in this story owes the king a lot of money but when he begs the king for mercy and promises to pay it all back if he will just give him a little more time, the king forgives the debt. Then the servant sees another servant who owes him some money – nowhere near the amount he owed the king! – and he demands that the servant pay him back immediately. When the servant begs for more time, he refuses and has him put into prison until he can pay back the full amount. The other servants are horrified at his behavior and tell the king what has happened. The king calls in the servant and has him turned over to the "tormenters" until he can pay back the full amount. Any offense against God is a major offense, and yet God has forgiven us, and forgives us over and over again. We pray in the Our Father asking God to forgive us AS we forgive others. I'm not sure we mean it. Is there someone we still can't forgive? I'm not saying anything about forgetting. Have we asked God to help us forgive? The problem here, is that a lack of forgiveness does nothing for the person not forgiven, but it can keep us from moving on. In families it can keep brothers and sisters apart; parents and children, and can cause problems for generations. Let us be more like the King and less like the unworthy servant."


How does a king live? Exactly how our King, the Lord Jesus Christ lives. Love as He loved. Forgive as He forgave. Let us therefore live like our king.

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