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| St. Francis of Assisi (Iconography) Acrylic Paints & Pens on Natural Wood Slice Friday Face OFF |
Today, is the 5th Sunday after Pentecost, so I wrote a sermon on Luke 12:32-40, which is the appointed lectionary Gospel. Here's an excerpt:
When Jesus declares “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also,” he means that we can train our ways of thinking, our wills, and our ways of living, through the ways we use our treasures. If you spend your treasures only on yourself, your heart will be focused on possessions. But if you use your treasures to help and give to all those in need, your heart will go where God wants it to go. Most importantly, your heart will find God in the process, as we seek and serve Christ in all persons.
But as simple as this sounds, it is not easy, for Jesus is speaking about more than Venmoing Jesus, making donations, or making charitable contributions. Almsgiving is not just a transaction in which people give their excess for the sake of self-righteousness. That is condescending. Almsgiving is an expression of true solidarity with others. It’s about refusing to let inequalities stand. It’s about striving for justice and peace among all people. It's about respecting the dignity of every human being. Jesus wants kingdom people, in a radical dependence on him, to enact nothing less than a reversal of the world as it is presently known, lived in, and legitimized.
Enjoy! (Card & Envelope Set)
Coffee Themed Paper Piecing,
Tim Holtz' Tea Time Bigz Die by Sizzix (Retired),
and Dymo Label Maker
T is for... Drinks
Therefore, Jesus calls for a shift away from a world in which some people survive only because some privileged people choose to act morally from time to time. He wants a radically different world, a kingdom with kingdom people. This reality entails the destruction of all divisions, autocracies, and nationalism. Almsgiving isn’t about offerings to help those with less money; it’s about sharing power and advantage with everyone. Such transformative solidarity creates an unfailing treasure in heaven.
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| Blessed (Collage) Scraps of Hand Painted Papers, Distressed Photo, and Marker Calligraphy What's On WOYWW 844/64 |
8 comments:
...grandchildren are gifts, we have five. Our oldest grandson is an Army medic stationed in Syria and our next grandson leaves for his freshman year of college, Wednesday. Our oldest granddaughter is completing her freshman year in college. Our next granddaughter is busy this summer practicing with her high school marching band, they came in first in the state last year. Our youngest granddaughter was diagnosed with a rare oral cancer which she is being treated for. Tomorrow she leaves for a week at a summer camp for children with cancer. They all are the joy of our lives. Take care and be well.
Thank you for sharing this. Thoughtful and grounding post. Appreciated. Every blessing to your family. Aloha
Unos Collages preciosos. Cuanta dicha nos regalan los nietos...
Qué verdad llevan tus palabras, "Dar limosna es una expresión de verdadera solidaridad con los demás." Hay que empatizar con el dolor ajeno y ser más humano porque en estos tiempos parece que nos olvidamos de serlo.
Me gustó mucho tu blog. Es un placer pasar por él. Un abrazo amistoso
Thank you for your visit. Although there is no doubt that the very wealthy could give a lot more, there is also a great number of people between these two groups, some give out of a genuine desire to help, some give because of their love for Jesus and regrettably some give for the wrong reasons, but Jesus knows all our hearts.
Sorry I missed that you had posted on WOYWW. Welcome to our group, I look forward to seeing more of your posts. On another group I do Scripture writing, we commit to writing a verse or more everyday. I am going through Ezekiel at the moment and trying to make a study of it. Angela
Thanks for dropping by. I had no idea Nicole featured my work last Friday. I appreciate the insight provided on Jesus' teachings. The world would be a better place if people followed if nothing else Christ's example.
Your collage of your grandson is lovely. Children are blessings and grandchildren are abundant blessings! We have two with a third arriving soon. Thanks for sharing and for your visit!
PS: Something to consider is allowing commenters the flexibility of using name and URL would be awesome. I'm trying to avoid using Google whenever possible and eventually plan to delete my account which means, I wouldn't be able to leave you a message. It's just a thought in case you have other readers in the same boat as me. Have a blessed day!
I know I posted a comment for FFO. I don't see it though. As always you have inspired many through your art and your beliefs. Thank you for joining FFO.
Hi Arnoldo, great to see you again. Beautiful words.
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