Christian Reflection and Prayer

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)

"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 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!!!