|
Post by webrunner on Apr 4, 2009 21:46:13 GMT -7
Matthew 6 Giving to the Poor and Prayer 1"Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. 2"So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 3"But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. 5"When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 6"But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. 7"And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. 8"So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. 9"Pray, then, in this way: 'Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 10'Your kingdom come Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. 11'Give us this day our daily bread. 12'And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13'And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.]' bibleresources.bible.com/passagesearchresults.php?passage1=Matthew+6&version1=49
|
|
rosa
Full Member
Starting 5-Founding Member
Posts: 185
|
Post by rosa on Apr 5, 2009 5:52:52 GMT -7
this passage reminded me of a little boy I met recently and the purity in children he got a new toy yesterday and since he shares his one room home with a lot of other family members, he (like a lot of other kids) hasn't got a lot of toys and neither do his siblings but he was so happy with his new toy, he took out every single other treasure he owned (including a pair of shoes ) and he gave them away to his siblings, telling them (and this is really a cute little boy) that if they didn't tell their parents he gave all the other toys to them, he'd let them play with his new toy all they wanted and his new baby sister got the shoes, by the way ;D
|
|
|
Post by webrunner on Apr 5, 2009 10:44:40 GMT -7
I've already mentioned here that I have a newer sports car that I don't drive that often. When I do, I'm still in that stage of trying to park away from everyone in order to preserve her pristine paint job.
The other day, Tuesday to be exact, I went to the Albertson's on Dyer. Well, I parked way away from everyone in a spot that practically abutted Dyer. Wouldn't you know it, a green Sable (I think) pulled up and parked right next to me (there were like a million other empty spaces) I was not amused and I verbalized such. My window was down so I imagine the driver of the Sable heard some of my rant, though if he did, he ignored it.
I watched him as he got out of his car and begin to cross Dyer and for the first time I noticed a man in a wheelchair was basically stuck in the middle of Dyer, (you know where the median breaks to allow cars to make left turns?). The Sable driver approached the man in the wheelchair, asked him where he was headed then, when it was safe, pushed him the rest of the way across the street. He then got back in his car and drove away.
Of course I felt pretty low and I'm not really happy at how this story makes me sound but I also knew that I witnessed something special that I would need tell others about. I know that the man in the Sable did not do what he did to be noticed or congratulated on his humanity, he did it to do the right thing. It was a good lesson.
|
|
|
Post by webrunner on Apr 5, 2009 10:54:05 GMT -7
|
|
|
Post by Tim Collins on Apr 5, 2009 16:51:29 GMT -7
Now I know what Palm Sunday celebrates! Wow...never knew it til today. Had a great service and a wonderful time. Thanks for all of your sharing...it's inspiring to a lifelong cynic like me. You'll find that when it comes to religion we're a pretty eclectic group. Web and I thought a Bible discussion thread would produce some interesting discussions. We all like to debate moral issues re politics and life in general and since the Bible is a source for many people to base their moral ideals we figured we could start there. Not sure how we will proceed. Web and I thought using the Catholi Mass schedule for readings might work. My thouight is, read a Gospel section each week and then discuss what does it say to each of us and how does it relate to today. Anyone interested in participating please throw out your ideas on proceeding.
|
|
|
Post by Tim Collins on Apr 5, 2009 17:33:34 GMT -7
Brown: I have both a question and a comment (or two or three won't know until I stop typing) feel free to ignore them all. Question: OK you are really confusing me - if you grew up in El Paso (I assume) how could you have not read or heard from the Bible? I just assume 90+% of this town is Catholic. Comment: The limits on what we share with each other are self defined. Whenever anyone steps over a line call them on it. Part of civility - at least in my mind - is respecting the boundaries we each set for ourselves. The mutual understanding should be we may cross a boundary at times, but it most assuredly will be unintentional, so just draw the line and we will retreat to the designated boundary. Comment: God has to have a sense of humor - have you ever seen what a baboons ass looks like at the El Paso Zoo?. How about giraffes? Come on those things are funny. What about the human aging process - effects of gravity on both sexes? Male pattern baldness? Freckles? Zits? Puberty? Comment: Your writing style - why do you think we have a section for original works for members? I at least think we all at times will have something we find important to say and we need a place where it can get the undivided attention of whomever seeks it out. Feel free though to post your Brownfield Empire memos any where you feel they belong. And yes I am one of those for whom they have brought laughter. Why else would I have attempted to counter you with Greenfield Galactic - my pale imitation meant in the most flattering way.
|
|
|
Post by webrunner on Apr 5, 2009 20:22:09 GMT -7
Now I know what Palm Sunday celebrates! Wow...never knew it til today. Had a great service and a wonderful time. Thanks for all of your sharing...it's inspiring to a lifelong cynic like me. You'll find that when it comes to religion we're a pretty eclectic group. Web and I thought a Bible discussion thread would produce some interesting discussions. We all like to debate moral issues re politics and life in general and since the Bible is a source for many people to base their moral ideals we figured we could start there. Not sure how we will proceed. Web and I thought using the Catholi Mass schedule for readings might work. My thouight is, read a Gospel section each week and then discuss what does it say to each of us and how does it relate to today. Anyone interested in participating please throw out your ideas on proceeding. Lead the way, Snil.
|
|
|
Post by Tim Collins on Apr 5, 2009 20:26:58 GMT -7
How many people, either in our lives, or in our history have "taken a beating" for our errors/sins? I think we always put that question in context with visions of a soldier jumping on a grenade for his buddies. Or a secret service agent stepping in front of the bullet for the President, or in the largest mass case of self sacrifice that I can remember - all those cops, firemen, civilians, paramedics and whomever that ran INTO the world trade centers on 9/11. But having taken some time to reflect, since Web posted this, (and by the way the link you gave has to be cut and pasted to get to the right quote, just clicking on it brings you to a quote that raises a whole different set of issues/questions) I realize that some of us have been blessed with living with people that have done this for us for a long time and we probably never noticed. Think of where you are today, and how you got there. In my case I know I still have lots of dreams to fulfill, and many that I must acknowledge will now never be. But I look back at my parents and realize they too were "wounded for MY transgressions, were bruised for MY iniquities: the chastisement of MY peace was upon them; and with their stripes I was advanced toward my own life." You know my parents were far from perfect, in fact they would probably have made a good after school special about how not to be parents. But now that I am a parent I understand that they sacrificed a lot of their own dreams to give me a chance at mine. Yeah, no crown of thorns, nor scourging, nor crucifixion, but without trying they stepped up for me and my siblings. Maybe we spend too much time looking for examples too far from ourselves to see that this message does live 2000 plus years later.
|
|
|
Post by webrunner on Apr 5, 2009 20:53:26 GMT -7
How many people, either in our lives, or in our history have "taken a beating" for our errors/sins? I think we always put that question in context with visions of a soldier jumping on a grenade for his buddies. Or a secret service agent stepping in front of the bullet for the President, or in the largest mass case of self sacrifice that I can remember - all those cops, firemen, civilians, paramedics and whomever that ran INTO the world trade centers on 9/11. "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13 But having taken some time to reflect, since Web posted this, (and by the way the link you gave has to be cut and pasted to get to the right quote, just clicking on it brings you to a quote that raises a whole different set of issues/questions) Sorry about that. I tried to copy and paste the link again and it did the same thing. For some reason it goes to the beginning of the book, instead of right to the quote. I realize that some of us have been blessed with living with people that have done this for us for a long time and we probably never noticed. Think of where you are today, and how you got there. In my case I know I still have lots of dreams to fulfill, and many that I must acknowledge will now never be. But I look back at my parents and realize they too were "wounded for MY transgressions, were bruised for MY iniquities: the chastisement of MY peace was upon them; and with their stripes I was advanced toward my own life." You know my parents were far from perfect, in fact they would probably have made a good after school special about how not to be parents. But now that I am a parent I understand that they sacrificed a lot of their own dreams to give me a chance at mine. Yeah, no crown of thorns, nor scourging, nor crucifixion, but without trying they stepped up for me and my siblings. Maybe we spend too much time looking for examples too far from ourselves to see that this message does live 2000 plus years later. I never thought about it that way. Of course I do believe that the message lives today in Him about who that passage speaks. Incidentally, Brown, don't miss the significance of that. The book of Isaiah, where that verse is found, is in the Old Testament and therefor written long before Jesus Christ was even born (although I'm not sure just how long before). Snil, our parents, imperfect as they all are, do suffer for their children don't they? I'm not a parent but for those of you are, God bless you.
|
|
rosa
Full Member
Starting 5-Founding Member
Posts: 185
|
Post by rosa on Apr 6, 2009 5:20:31 GMT -7
Wow, and double wow we were talking about Easter yesterday, and the good Catholics in the family (of course!) were talking about the sacrifice and the crucifixion, and in the midst of it all, my daughter piped up and asked a question: "Mommy, when can we go and see Jesus?" Her grandmother immediately said: "Ay, not until you're very old, my love", everyone chuckled and I got up and pointed to Christ on a relief on the wall (the Last Supper) and said "Here He is honey, and He's everywhere...He's kind of invisible too but He's always around even when you can't see Him, He's with you" So then she asked: "Mommy, does He like to play too?". I told her that He does, and that one of His favorite games is "hide and seek" and that as she gets older, she'll see Him everywhere because He's a lot like Santa...He's invisible, but you can see pictures and you can see the things He does when other people do good things for each other. I told her that He likes to hide in her pockets and in her heart the same way, and that He's great with magic I am really hoping that since this worked with her siblings, it will work for her too...she walked off talking to her pockets
|
|
|
Post by Tim Collins on Apr 6, 2009 5:43:00 GMT -7
OK Web- I really did not pay attention to where the verse came from (Old Testament versus New). Now you are going to make me go back and read around the quote more to see just Who it is that is the subject of the quote. In any event - the sentiment without a doubt foretells the fate of Jesus. Perhaps it just goes to show certain standards and goals for behavior are timeless
|
|
|
Post by webrunner on Apr 6, 2009 6:59:55 GMT -7
Well Snil, you could go back and see Who that verse is referring to, but I can already tell you. ;D Actually, I hope you do go back and look at the history around the prophet Isaiah. I don't know that much about historical context and I bet it's interesting. Incidentally, when writing about God or Jesus I capitalize the first letter of every word that refers to Him. I haven't been taught to do this by anyone or told that it's in any way necessary to do so. I point this out because I don't want anyone feeling that they have to do the same. Finally, for Brown, here's another verse; "You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world." 1 John 4:4 bibleresources.bible.com/passagesearchresults.php?passage1=1%20John+4:4&version=49
|
|
rosa
Full Member
Starting 5-Founding Member
Posts: 185
|
Post by rosa on Apr 6, 2009 18:23:59 GMT -7
this is a tough time of year to play in this water, you guys, but I believe in the divinity of forgiveness just as I believe in divinity itself, even if I don't go to mass, Badly
|
|
|
Post by webrunner on Apr 6, 2009 20:02:22 GMT -7
Yeah, forgiveness, that's a tough one. I mean, Biblically it is absolutely essential. That part in the Lord's Prayer about asking God to forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And yet for those who are victims of horrible acts of violence (to use an extreme example) or their family members are, I don't know how anybody ever really could. I watched a documentary awhile back about three eighth grade (I think) boys that had been murdered by two older "goth" type boys. I tell you the truth, I wanted the murderers dead (and I have no relationship to the victims), for real. All I can think about is those three little boys and what they went through. Really, how can a parent ever really forgive something like that? I honestly, honestly don't know that I could. In a situation like that, I could easily see giving myself over to seeking vengeance. And yet, back to the Bible and God watching while His own Son was beaten and crucified (do you ever think about what it must have been like to be nailed to a cross?) yet forgiving all of us who, in essence, nailed him there. Jesus Himself crying from the cross, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Wx3YFhsqhkYes, Rosa, ultimately I agree with you, true forgiveness is Divine. P.S. Snil, in looking for the above YouTube vid, I happened on another one that starts with that Isaiah verse and it said that that verse was written 700 B.C. Here's the link to that vid. www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJBhmJiXQTQ
|
|
|
Post by badlygiven on Apr 7, 2009 10:22:59 GMT -7
this is a tough time of year to play in this water, you guys, but I believe in the divinity of forgiveness just as I believe in divinity itself, even if I don't go to mass, Badly don't you worry about that...my mom didn't go to Mass either...here lately my dad has been pretty consistent, but in their younger years their Mass attendance was spotty...but did that make them any less Catholic, or for that matter, Christian, OR for that matter, good and decent? Nope, they were all of these things... I love going to Mass, cause I am part of a good community...but I have come to the realization that I truly am receiving Jesus in the Mass...in the Eucharist. Did this come to me from the start?...ohhh, heck no...this came about after a lot of trials, errors, and pain. That community I talk about helped a lot...but I realize that not everyone has that community...and that is sad... The whole thing about following the Catholic readings for scriptural reference is great. Right now, we are in Cycle B...I will try to get a website that has the readings on a daily basis...I think the USCCB (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops) has it on theirs...
|
|