My Sunday Scripture 2009.12.27
Every year his parents used to go to Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover.
When he was twelve years old, they went up for the feast as usual.
When the days of the feast were over and they set off home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem without his parents knowing it.
They assumed he was somewhere in the party, and it was only after a day's journey that they went to look for him among their relations and acquaintances.
When they failed to find him they went back to Jerusalem looking for him everywhere.
It happened that, three days later, they found him in the Temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them, and asking them questions;
and all those who heard him were astounded at his intelligence and his replies.
They were overcome when they saw him, and his mother said to him, 'My child, why have you done this to us? See how worried your father and I have been, looking for you.'
He replied, 'Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?'
But they did not understand what he meant.
He went down with them then and came to Nazareth and lived under their authority. His mother stored up all these things in her heart.
And Jesus increased in wisdom, in stature, and in favour with God and with people.
Luke 2:41-52
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My Reading Notes:
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The question is: How important is a family? Is the family superior to everything?
or, something more important are superior?
It is obvoius that the love of God, and the love of all are more important. And this is the very basic difference between the Confucius thought and a Christian.
In Confucism, the value of a hierarchical system is most important. And that would lead to the suffocation of truth, because the criterion to truth had been put in the hands of the authority.
2009年12月26日 星期六
2009年12月18日 星期五
Do You have the Blessing
My Sunday Scritpture 2009.12.20
Mary set out at that time and went as quickly as she could into the hill country to a town in Judah.
She went into Zechariah's house and greeted Elizabeth.
Now it happened that as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child leapt in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
She gave a loud cry and said, 'Of all women you are the most blessed, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
Why should I be honoured with a visit from the mother of my Lord?
Look, the moment your greeting reached my ears, the child in my womb leapt for joy.
Yes, blessed is she who believed that the promise made her by the Lord would be fulfilled.'
Luke 1:39-45
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My Reading Notes:
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This is one of the most interesting stories from the Bible. An ordinary girl Mary had been, but suddenly she was chosen to be the mother of Jesus.
All of a sudden, she was blessed with the good will of the Heaven.
and with a sword, too.
She was destined to suffer the lost of her child.
One would admire her of her way to receive God.
And one would also had to have some wisdom to understand that by taking up the important task, she must also suffer.
No other suffer could be bigger then the suffer she had.
To compare with her, we are but small creatures.
Mary set out at that time and went as quickly as she could into the hill country to a town in Judah.
She went into Zechariah's house and greeted Elizabeth.
Now it happened that as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child leapt in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
She gave a loud cry and said, 'Of all women you are the most blessed, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
Why should I be honoured with a visit from the mother of my Lord?
Look, the moment your greeting reached my ears, the child in my womb leapt for joy.
Yes, blessed is she who believed that the promise made her by the Lord would be fulfilled.'
Luke 1:39-45
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My Reading Notes:
------------------
This is one of the most interesting stories from the Bible. An ordinary girl Mary had been, but suddenly she was chosen to be the mother of Jesus.
All of a sudden, she was blessed with the good will of the Heaven.
and with a sword, too.
She was destined to suffer the lost of her child.
One would admire her of her way to receive God.
And one would also had to have some wisdom to understand that by taking up the important task, she must also suffer.
No other suffer could be bigger then the suffer she had.
To compare with her, we are but small creatures.
2009年12月12日 星期六
HE will give us the Holy Spirit and Fire
My Sunday Scripture 2009.12.13
When all the people asked him, 'What must we do, then?'
he answered, 'Anyone who has two tunics must share with the one who has none, and anyone with something to eat must do the same.'
There were tax collectors, too, who came for baptism, and these said to him, 'Master, what must we do?'
He said to them, 'Exact no more than the appointed rate.'
Some soldiers asked him in their turn, 'What about us? What must we do?' He said to them, 'No intimidation! No extortion! Be content with your pay!'
A feeling of expectancy had grown among the people, who were beginning to wonder whether John might be the Christ,
so John declared before them all, 'I baptise you with water, but someone is coming, who is more powerful than me, and I am not fit to undo the strap of his sandals; he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
His winnowing-fan is in his hand, to clear his threshing-floor and to gather the wheat into his barn; but the chaff he will burn in a fire that will never go out.'
And he proclaimed the good news to the people with many other exhortations too.
Saint Luke 3:10-18
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My Reading Notes:
--------------------
In the kingdom of heaven, we wash ourselves not with water, but with fire.
We wash the flesh with water, but clean the soul with fire. When we can see deep into our sin, we had washed our soul with fire: the fire HE had given us.
And the clean souls could proceed. They could march ahead, with a Holy Spirit, they are free and they can go anywhere.
When all the people asked him, 'What must we do, then?'
he answered, 'Anyone who has two tunics must share with the one who has none, and anyone with something to eat must do the same.'
There were tax collectors, too, who came for baptism, and these said to him, 'Master, what must we do?'
He said to them, 'Exact no more than the appointed rate.'
Some soldiers asked him in their turn, 'What about us? What must we do?' He said to them, 'No intimidation! No extortion! Be content with your pay!'
A feeling of expectancy had grown among the people, who were beginning to wonder whether John might be the Christ,
so John declared before them all, 'I baptise you with water, but someone is coming, who is more powerful than me, and I am not fit to undo the strap of his sandals; he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
His winnowing-fan is in his hand, to clear his threshing-floor and to gather the wheat into his barn; but the chaff he will burn in a fire that will never go out.'
And he proclaimed the good news to the people with many other exhortations too.
Saint Luke 3:10-18
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My Reading Notes:
--------------------
In the kingdom of heaven, we wash ourselves not with water, but with fire.
We wash the flesh with water, but clean the soul with fire. When we can see deep into our sin, we had washed our soul with fire: the fire HE had given us.
And the clean souls could proceed. They could march ahead, with a Holy Spirit, they are free and they can go anywhere.
2009年12月5日 星期六
A cry from the desert
My Sunday Scripture 2009.12.6
In the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar's reign, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judaea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of the territories of Ituraea and Trachonitis, Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene,
and while the high-priesthood was held by Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah, in the desert.
He went through the whole Jordan area proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins,
as it is written in the book of the sayings of Isaiah the prophet: A voice of one that cries in the desert: Prepare a way for the Lord, make his paths straight!
Let every valley be filled in, every mountain and hill be levelled, winding ways be straightened and rough roads made smooth,
and all humanity will see the salvation of God.
Saint Luke 3:1-6
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My Reading Notes:
-------------------
I have been reading Al Gore's book recently. He said the Founders of America had put "faith" and "reason" in an opposite direction. He mentioned the idea from the founders of the States, that America is not a Chiristian country, nor it a Jewish or Mohamedan country. By putting the same importance to different sects, they had eliminated the religious power in the country. May be it is due to this idea, that the American people had given "reason" ultimate importance. They thought reason is the opposition of faith. However, we from the far east can see that, the balancing power of reason is spirit, not faith.
A country with high reasoning power, but lacking a spirit to balance it, is bound to have problem. This is the real problem of America, not terrorism.
What is a "spirit"? Is the "American Spirit" a spirit?
No. American Spirit is but the conclusion of some "reasoning power". It is a theory.
We can see that a spirit is coming from within, it is from the mind, it is life force, it is religious, but not necessary a religious doctrine.
In the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar's reign, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judaea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of the territories of Ituraea and Trachonitis, Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene,
and while the high-priesthood was held by Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah, in the desert.
He went through the whole Jordan area proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins,
as it is written in the book of the sayings of Isaiah the prophet: A voice of one that cries in the desert: Prepare a way for the Lord, make his paths straight!
Let every valley be filled in, every mountain and hill be levelled, winding ways be straightened and rough roads made smooth,
and all humanity will see the salvation of God.
Saint Luke 3:1-6
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My Reading Notes:
-------------------
I have been reading Al Gore's book recently. He said the Founders of America had put "faith" and "reason" in an opposite direction. He mentioned the idea from the founders of the States, that America is not a Chiristian country, nor it a Jewish or Mohamedan country. By putting the same importance to different sects, they had eliminated the religious power in the country. May be it is due to this idea, that the American people had given "reason" ultimate importance. They thought reason is the opposition of faith. However, we from the far east can see that, the balancing power of reason is spirit, not faith.
A country with high reasoning power, but lacking a spirit to balance it, is bound to have problem. This is the real problem of America, not terrorism.
What is a "spirit"? Is the "American Spirit" a spirit?
No. American Spirit is but the conclusion of some "reasoning power". It is a theory.
We can see that a spirit is coming from within, it is from the mind, it is life force, it is religious, but not necessary a religious doctrine.
2009年11月25日 星期三
What will happen next?
My Sunday Scritpure 2009.11.29
'There will be signs in the sun and moon and stars; on earth nations in agony, bewildered by the turmoil of the ocean and its waves;
men fainting away with terror and fear at what menaces the world, for the powers of heaven will be shaken.
And then they will see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
When these things begin to take place, stand erect, hold your heads high, because your liberation is near at hand.'
'Watch yourselves, or your hearts will be coarsened by debauchery and drunkenness and the cares of life, and that day will come upon you unexpectedly,
like a trap. For it will come down on all those living on the face of the earth.
Stay awake, praying at all times for the strength to survive all that is going to happen, and to hold your ground before the Son of man.'
(Saint Luke 21:25-28, 34-36)
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My Reading Notes:
----------------
This message from Luke told us that the world will NOT be the same always.
There will be times of unexpected change. And that change, is beyond
the control of humanbeings.
People living in daily life expect things will happen as usual. But
it is not true.
'There will be signs in the sun and moon and stars; on earth nations in agony, bewildered by the turmoil of the ocean and its waves;
men fainting away with terror and fear at what menaces the world, for the powers of heaven will be shaken.
And then they will see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
When these things begin to take place, stand erect, hold your heads high, because your liberation is near at hand.'
'Watch yourselves, or your hearts will be coarsened by debauchery and drunkenness and the cares of life, and that day will come upon you unexpectedly,
like a trap. For it will come down on all those living on the face of the earth.
Stay awake, praying at all times for the strength to survive all that is going to happen, and to hold your ground before the Son of man.'
(Saint Luke 21:25-28, 34-36)
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My Reading Notes:
----------------
This message from Luke told us that the world will NOT be the same always.
There will be times of unexpected change. And that change, is beyond
the control of humanbeings.
People living in daily life expect things will happen as usual. But
it is not true.
2009年11月20日 星期五
We have a King and we are not alone
My Sunday Scripture 2009.11.22
Pilate said to Jesus,
"Are you the King of the Jews?"
Jesus answered, "Do you say this on your own
or have others told you about me?"
Pilate answered, "I am not a Jew, am I?
Your own nation and the chief priests handed you over to me.
What have you done?"
Jesus answered, "My kingdom does not belong to this world.
If my kingdom did belong to this world,
my attendants would be fighting
to keep me from being handed over to the Jews.
But as it is, my kingdom is not here."
So Pilate said to him, "Then you are a king?"
Jesus answered, "You say I am a king.
For this I was born and for this I came into the world,
to testify to the truth.
Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice."
John 18:33b-37
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My Reading Notes:
----------------
He said, his kingdom is not here.
He said, he came to testify to the truth.
He had told us the truth.
May be, Jesus is using analogy.
He is the leader of us.
And he is the center of us.
He is us and we are him.
In this sense, we can say that we are one.
and also in this sense, we are not alone. We belong to
him. We have confidence and we all have a soul, and its
all because of Him. It is just like, we have a King.
It is just like, we have a Father. We are not orphans anymore.
We are the subjects of the center of the universe.
Pilate said to Jesus,
"Are you the King of the Jews?"
Jesus answered, "Do you say this on your own
or have others told you about me?"
Pilate answered, "I am not a Jew, am I?
Your own nation and the chief priests handed you over to me.
What have you done?"
Jesus answered, "My kingdom does not belong to this world.
If my kingdom did belong to this world,
my attendants would be fighting
to keep me from being handed over to the Jews.
But as it is, my kingdom is not here."
So Pilate said to him, "Then you are a king?"
Jesus answered, "You say I am a king.
For this I was born and for this I came into the world,
to testify to the truth.
Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice."
John 18:33b-37
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My Reading Notes:
----------------
He said, his kingdom is not here.
He said, he came to testify to the truth.
He had told us the truth.
May be, Jesus is using analogy.
He is the leader of us.
And he is the center of us.
He is us and we are him.
In this sense, we can say that we are one.
and also in this sense, we are not alone. We belong to
him. We have confidence and we all have a soul, and its
all because of Him. It is just like, we have a King.
It is just like, we have a Father. We are not orphans anymore.
We are the subjects of the center of the universe.
2009年11月11日 星期三
He is near
My Sunday Scripture 2009.11.15
"But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light,
and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.
And then they will see the Son of man coming in clouds with great power and glory.
And then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.
"From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near.
So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates.
Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away before all these things take place.
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
"But of that day or that hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
Mark 13: 24 - 32
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My Reading Notes:
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This is the thing we tend to forget: That the day is near, that He is near.
And this is the comfort for the good and the threat for the bad.
We all feel comfortable if He is near. How beautiful, and how nice.
Oh, He is near.
"But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light,
and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.
And then they will see the Son of man coming in clouds with great power and glory.
And then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.
"From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near.
So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates.
Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away before all these things take place.
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
"But of that day or that hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
Mark 13: 24 - 32
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My Reading Notes:
------------------
This is the thing we tend to forget: That the day is near, that He is near.
And this is the comfort for the good and the threat for the bad.
We all feel comfortable if He is near. How beautiful, and how nice.
Oh, He is near.
2009年11月5日 星期四
What is the meaning of complete dedication?
My Sunday Scripture 2009.11.8
Jesus sat down opposite the treasury
and observed how the crowd put money into the treasury.
Many rich people put in large sums.
A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents.
Calling his disciples to himself, he said to them,
"Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more
than all the other contributors to the treasury.
For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth,
but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had,
her whole livelihood."
Mark 12:41-44
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My Reading Notes:
-------------------
Actually this is a very simple idea. The meaning of life
itself is not for the self. The meaning of life is to
dedicate, no matter who you are: no matter you are a
cat or a dog or a plant, your life is meant to the others.
Life itself is a chain, only those who could see the meaning
of life in the whole could understand the meaning of
dedication.
For deditcation, there is only one kind of dedication:
complete dedication. The meaning here is not how much
you could afford to pay God, but whether you could see
that you have only one life, and the purpose of that
life is for you to use it: Use it on the planet, not
for self indulgence or lazy sleeping.
Those who could see the meaning of life, is blessed.
Jesus sat down opposite the treasury
and observed how the crowd put money into the treasury.
Many rich people put in large sums.
A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents.
Calling his disciples to himself, he said to them,
"Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more
than all the other contributors to the treasury.
For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth,
but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had,
her whole livelihood."
Mark 12:41-44
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My Reading Notes:
-------------------
Actually this is a very simple idea. The meaning of life
itself is not for the self. The meaning of life is to
dedicate, no matter who you are: no matter you are a
cat or a dog or a plant, your life is meant to the others.
Life itself is a chain, only those who could see the meaning
of life in the whole could understand the meaning of
dedication.
For deditcation, there is only one kind of dedication:
complete dedication. The meaning here is not how much
you could afford to pay God, but whether you could see
that you have only one life, and the purpose of that
life is for you to use it: Use it on the planet, not
for self indulgence or lazy sleeping.
Those who could see the meaning of life, is blessed.
2009年10月30日 星期五
Who Are the Blessed?
My Sunday Scripture 2009.11.1
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain,
and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him.
He began to teach them, saying:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you
and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.
Rejoice and be glad,
for your reward will be great in heaven.”
Matthew 5:1-12a
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My Reading Notes:
-----------------
Who Are the Blessed?
Those are the people who stand in the front of the current, to carry out
the will of God. The others are of 2 categories:
those who are poor, are meek, and are mourning: these are the lambs.
those who are merciful and are longing for rigeteousness and are fighting for it in a peaceful and a clean way: these are the caretakers of the lambs.
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain,
and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him.
He began to teach them, saying:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you
and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.
Rejoice and be glad,
for your reward will be great in heaven.”
Matthew 5:1-12a
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My Reading Notes:
-----------------
Who Are the Blessed?
Those are the people who stand in the front of the current, to carry out
the will of God. The others are of 2 categories:
those who are poor, are meek, and are mourning: these are the lambs.
those who are merciful and are longing for rigeteousness and are fighting for it in a peaceful and a clean way: these are the caretakers of the lambs.
2009年10月24日 星期六
Seek, and ye shall find
They reached Jericho; and as he left Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus -- that is, the son of Timaeus -- a blind beggar, was sitting at the side of the road.
When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout and cry out, 'Son of David, Jesus, have pity on me.'
And many of them scolded him and told him to keep quiet, but he only shouted all the louder, 'Son of David, have pity on me.'
Jesus stopped and said, 'Call him here.' So they called the blind man over. 'Courage,' they said, 'get up; he is calling you.'
So throwing off his cloak, he jumped up and went to Jesus.
Then Jesus spoke, 'What do you want me to do for you?' The blind man said to him, 'Rabbuni, let me see again.'
Jesus said to him, 'Go; your faith has saved you.' And at once his sight returned and he followed him along the road.
Saint Mark 10:46-52
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My Reading Notes:
------------------
Many a time you would come across such sayings, that this
is a time of NO miracles. They would tell you: DO NOT
expect miracles.
I can tell you in the name of Jesus Christ, those are
false prophets.
There are miracles everywhere.
All those seek in their own faith, shall find what
they want.
And every one who worked hard, had found what they
were expected to find. All those fought hard, will
win. There are no failure for the fighters. You
could achieve something always.
When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout and cry out, 'Son of David, Jesus, have pity on me.'
And many of them scolded him and told him to keep quiet, but he only shouted all the louder, 'Son of David, have pity on me.'
Jesus stopped and said, 'Call him here.' So they called the blind man over. 'Courage,' they said, 'get up; he is calling you.'
So throwing off his cloak, he jumped up and went to Jesus.
Then Jesus spoke, 'What do you want me to do for you?' The blind man said to him, 'Rabbuni, let me see again.'
Jesus said to him, 'Go; your faith has saved you.' And at once his sight returned and he followed him along the road.
Saint Mark 10:46-52
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My Reading Notes:
------------------
Many a time you would come across such sayings, that this
is a time of NO miracles. They would tell you: DO NOT
expect miracles.
I can tell you in the name of Jesus Christ, those are
false prophets.
There are miracles everywhere.
All those seek in their own faith, shall find what
they want.
And every one who worked hard, had found what they
were expected to find. All those fought hard, will
win. There are no failure for the fighters. You
could achieve something always.
2009年10月17日 星期六
To Serve and Not To be Served
My Sunday Scripture 2009.10.18
35 James and John, the sons of Zebedee, approached him. 'Master,' they said to him, 'We want you to do us a favour.'
36 He said to them, 'What is it you want me to do for you?'
37 They said to him, 'Allow us to sit one at your right hand and the other at your left in your glory.'
38 But Jesus said to them, 'You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I shall drink, or be baptised with the baptism with which I shall be baptised?'
39 They replied, 'We can.' Jesus said to them, 'The cup that I shall drink you shall drink, and with the baptism with which I shall be baptised you shall be baptised,
40 but as for seats at my right hand or my left, these are not mine to grant; they belong to those to whom they have been allotted.'
41 When the other ten heard this they began to feel indignant with James and John,
42 so Jesus called them to him and said to them, 'You know that among the gentiles those they call their rulers lord it over them, and their great men make their authority felt.
43 Among you this is not to happen. No; anyone who wants to become great among you must be your servant,
44 and anyone who wants to be first among you must be slave to all.
45 For the Son of man himself came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'
Saint Mark 10:35-45
My Reading Notes:
This is the most important teaching about life.
Every life on earth has a purpose, and that is to serve.
Each and every life on earth has the same purpose. Even
a grass, a flower, a tree.... they are all the same,
they come to serve others. The whole of the universe
are linked up in this way.
The difference is whether we as a man know it or not.
If you can know this, if you can know that your own
life has a purpose itself, and your own life is
actually going to serve as a "server" and if you can
see that point, and if you are conscious about that,
then you can better make use of your life. Because,
you had put in your own effort as a conscious mind.
You had doubled your life force, as you had put your
self into it.
35 James and John, the sons of Zebedee, approached him. 'Master,' they said to him, 'We want you to do us a favour.'
36 He said to them, 'What is it you want me to do for you?'
37 They said to him, 'Allow us to sit one at your right hand and the other at your left in your glory.'
38 But Jesus said to them, 'You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I shall drink, or be baptised with the baptism with which I shall be baptised?'
39 They replied, 'We can.' Jesus said to them, 'The cup that I shall drink you shall drink, and with the baptism with which I shall be baptised you shall be baptised,
40 but as for seats at my right hand or my left, these are not mine to grant; they belong to those to whom they have been allotted.'
41 When the other ten heard this they began to feel indignant with James and John,
42 so Jesus called them to him and said to them, 'You know that among the gentiles those they call their rulers lord it over them, and their great men make their authority felt.
43 Among you this is not to happen. No; anyone who wants to become great among you must be your servant,
44 and anyone who wants to be first among you must be slave to all.
45 For the Son of man himself came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'
Saint Mark 10:35-45
My Reading Notes:
This is the most important teaching about life.
Every life on earth has a purpose, and that is to serve.
Each and every life on earth has the same purpose. Even
a grass, a flower, a tree.... they are all the same,
they come to serve others. The whole of the universe
are linked up in this way.
The difference is whether we as a man know it or not.
If you can know this, if you can know that your own
life has a purpose itself, and your own life is
actually going to serve as a "server" and if you can
see that point, and if you are conscious about that,
then you can better make use of your life. Because,
you had put in your own effort as a conscious mind.
You had doubled your life force, as you had put your
self into it.
2009年10月9日 星期五
How Much Should I Give God?
My Sunday Scripture 2009.10.11
17 He was setting out on a journey when a man ran up, knelt before him and put this question to him, 'Good master, what must I do to inherit eternal life?'
18 Jesus said to him, 'Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone.
19 You know the commandments: You shall not kill; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not give false witness; You shall not defraud; Honour your father and mother.'
20 And he said to him, 'Master, I have kept all these since my earliest days.'
21 Jesus looked steadily at him and he was filled with love for him, and he said, 'You need to do one thing more. Go and sell what you own and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.'
22 But his face fell at these words and he went away sad, for he was a man of great wealth.
23 Jesus looked round and said to his disciples, 'How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!'
24 The disciples were astounded by these words, but Jesus insisted, 'My children,' he said to them, 'how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!
25 It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for someone rich to enter the kingdom of God.'
26 They were more astonished than ever, saying to one another, 'In that case, who can be saved?'
27 Jesus gazed at them and said, 'By human resources it is impossible, but not for God: because for God everything is possible.'
28 Peter took this up. 'Look,' he said to him, 'we have left everything and followed you.'
29 Jesus said, 'In truth I tell you, there is no one who has left house, brothers, sisters, mother, father, children or land for my sake and for the sake of the gospel
30 who will not receive a hundred times as much, houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and land -- and persecutions too -- now in this present time and, in the world to come, eternal life.
Saint Mark 10:17-30
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My Reading Notes:
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If I say, I will give 10%, then I have surely missed the point.
Jesus is not bargaining with us. Jesus is not asking us to give another 10% or more.
Jesus is teaching us the theory about life.
Jesus had said in other occasion: Those give up life for me will gain life.
If the young man did give up all his money, he may find the line a little puzzle: He will ask himself: Shall I give up my life after I had given up all my money?
And the ansewer is yes.
And now we had come to the point: What is the meaning of life.
A life is a life to use. Just like a candle is for burning.
To give up life means one is willing to use up his life in a meaningful course.
If a candle isnt burning, then the candle IS NOT a living candle.
If we are not burning, we ARE NOT living.
And that is the important point here: Those give up life for me will gain life.
(MT 10:39 He that findeth his life, shall lose it: and he that shall lose his life for me, shall find it.)
17 He was setting out on a journey when a man ran up, knelt before him and put this question to him, 'Good master, what must I do to inherit eternal life?'
18 Jesus said to him, 'Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone.
19 You know the commandments: You shall not kill; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not give false witness; You shall not defraud; Honour your father and mother.'
20 And he said to him, 'Master, I have kept all these since my earliest days.'
21 Jesus looked steadily at him and he was filled with love for him, and he said, 'You need to do one thing more. Go and sell what you own and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.'
22 But his face fell at these words and he went away sad, for he was a man of great wealth.
23 Jesus looked round and said to his disciples, 'How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!'
24 The disciples were astounded by these words, but Jesus insisted, 'My children,' he said to them, 'how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!
25 It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for someone rich to enter the kingdom of God.'
26 They were more astonished than ever, saying to one another, 'In that case, who can be saved?'
27 Jesus gazed at them and said, 'By human resources it is impossible, but not for God: because for God everything is possible.'
28 Peter took this up. 'Look,' he said to him, 'we have left everything and followed you.'
29 Jesus said, 'In truth I tell you, there is no one who has left house, brothers, sisters, mother, father, children or land for my sake and for the sake of the gospel
30 who will not receive a hundred times as much, houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and land -- and persecutions too -- now in this present time and, in the world to come, eternal life.
Saint Mark 10:17-30
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My Reading Notes:
------------------
If I say, I will give 10%, then I have surely missed the point.
Jesus is not bargaining with us. Jesus is not asking us to give another 10% or more.
Jesus is teaching us the theory about life.
Jesus had said in other occasion: Those give up life for me will gain life.
If the young man did give up all his money, he may find the line a little puzzle: He will ask himself: Shall I give up my life after I had given up all my money?
And the ansewer is yes.
And now we had come to the point: What is the meaning of life.
A life is a life to use. Just like a candle is for burning.
To give up life means one is willing to use up his life in a meaningful course.
If a candle isnt burning, then the candle IS NOT a living candle.
If we are not burning, we ARE NOT living.
And that is the important point here: Those give up life for me will gain life.
(MT 10:39 He that findeth his life, shall lose it: and he that shall lose his life for me, shall find it.)
2009年10月3日 星期六
hardness of your hearts
My Sunday Scripture 2009.10.4.
The Pharisees approached Jesus and asked, "Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?" They were testing him. He said to them in reply, "What did Moses command you?" They replied, "Moses permitted a husband to write a bill of divorce and dismiss her." But Jesus told them, "Because of the hardness of your hearts he wrote you this commandment. But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate."
In the house the disciples again questioned Jesus about this. He said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another, commits adultery against her; and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery."
And people were bringing children to him that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them, "Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it." Then he embraced them and blessed them, placing his hands on them.
SaintMark 10:2-16
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My Reading Notes:
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"Because of the hardness of your hearts he wrote you this commandment......"
Divorce is the worse thing in the 21st century. It is the downturn of the human nature. If there is no law to allow people to divorce, then people will handle their marriage more carefully. And this is a topic discussed by too many and nothing positive have come up so far. However, if we could aware to the hardness of our hearts, we might choose a better option for our marriage.
The Pharisees approached Jesus and asked, "Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?" They were testing him. He said to them in reply, "What did Moses command you?" They replied, "Moses permitted a husband to write a bill of divorce and dismiss her." But Jesus told them, "Because of the hardness of your hearts he wrote you this commandment. But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate."
In the house the disciples again questioned Jesus about this. He said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another, commits adultery against her; and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery."
And people were bringing children to him that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them, "Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it." Then he embraced them and blessed them, placing his hands on them.
SaintMark 10:2-16
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My Reading Notes:
------------------
"Because of the hardness of your hearts he wrote you this commandment......"
Divorce is the worse thing in the 21st century. It is the downturn of the human nature. If there is no law to allow people to divorce, then people will handle their marriage more carefully. And this is a topic discussed by too many and nothing positive have come up so far. However, if we could aware to the hardness of our hearts, we might choose a better option for our marriage.
2009年9月26日 星期六
we saw someone driving out demons in your name
My Sunday Scripture, 2009.9.27
At that time, John said to Jesus,
"Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name,
and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us."
Jesus replied, "Do not prevent him.
There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name
who can at the same time speak ill of me.
For whoever is not against us is for us.
Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink
because you belong to Christ,
amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward.
"Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin,
it would be better for him if a great millstone
were put around his neck
and he were thrown into the sea.
If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off.
It is better for you to enter into life maimed
than with two hands to go into Gehenna,
into the unquenchable fire.
And if your foot causes you to sin, cut if off.
It is better for you to enter into life crippled
than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna.
And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out.
Better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye
than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna,
where 'their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.'"
Saint Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48
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My Reading Notes:
------------------
Preventing people to do good deeds, is the major evil nowadays
Only because those people is not in the same sect, then
all their deeds are to be stopped.......
And what does it mean?
It means that those who prevent others doing good, are in fact
not doing anything good at all.
I dont know why my blog is not allowed in China.
I mean no harm, but I am prevented to say anything.
At that time, John said to Jesus,
"Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name,
and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us."
Jesus replied, "Do not prevent him.
There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name
who can at the same time speak ill of me.
For whoever is not against us is for us.
Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink
because you belong to Christ,
amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward.
"Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin,
it would be better for him if a great millstone
were put around his neck
and he were thrown into the sea.
If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off.
It is better for you to enter into life maimed
than with two hands to go into Gehenna,
into the unquenchable fire.
And if your foot causes you to sin, cut if off.
It is better for you to enter into life crippled
than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna.
And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out.
Better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye
than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna,
where 'their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.'"
Saint Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48
------------------
My Reading Notes:
------------------
Preventing people to do good deeds, is the major evil nowadays
Only because those people is not in the same sect, then
all their deeds are to be stopped.......
And what does it mean?
It means that those who prevent others doing good, are in fact
not doing anything good at all.
I dont know why my blog is not allowed in China.
I mean no harm, but I am prevented to say anything.
2009年9月18日 星期五
Whoever welcomes a child such as this
My Sunday Scripture 2009.9.20
After leaving that place they made their way through Galilee; and he did not want anyone to know, because he was instructing his disciples; he was telling them, 'The Son of man will be delivered into the power of men; they will put him to death; and three days after he has been put to death he will rise again.' But they did not understand what he said and were afraid to ask him. They came to Capernaum, and when he got into the house he asked them, 'What were you arguing about on the road?'
34 They said nothing, because on the road they had been arguing which of them was the greatest. So he sat down, called the Twelve to him and said, 'If anyone wants to be first, he must make himself last of all and servant of all.' He then took a little child whom he set among them and embraced, and he said to them, 'Anyone who welcomes a little child such as this in my name, welcomes me; and anyone who welcomes me, welcomes not me but the one who sent me.'
Saint Mark 9:30-37
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My Reading Notes:
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Whoever welcomes a child such as this in my name, welcomes me.
And this is the point exactly the same as Zheong Zi, who had mentioned about a theory of the unity of man and heaven(天人合一). If anyone "welcomes" a child, is to take the child as his own, is to treat the child as his own. And this is the unity of man and heaven, or the unity of man and Jesus.
If you welcome a child, you welcome Jesus into your mind, you had put heaven into your own mind, you had united yourself with the universe.
If you love your neighbour, you will love Jesus, you will love the whole world.
In this scripture, Jesus had taught us the wonderful idea about how to unite man and heaven.
If anyone who could understand this, he will not mind being the last. For his mind is not in himself, but the children of the world, but Jesus, but the whole universe.
After leaving that place they made their way through Galilee; and he did not want anyone to know, because he was instructing his disciples; he was telling them, 'The Son of man will be delivered into the power of men; they will put him to death; and three days after he has been put to death he will rise again.' But they did not understand what he said and were afraid to ask him. They came to Capernaum, and when he got into the house he asked them, 'What were you arguing about on the road?'
34 They said nothing, because on the road they had been arguing which of them was the greatest. So he sat down, called the Twelve to him and said, 'If anyone wants to be first, he must make himself last of all and servant of all.' He then took a little child whom he set among them and embraced, and he said to them, 'Anyone who welcomes a little child such as this in my name, welcomes me; and anyone who welcomes me, welcomes not me but the one who sent me.'
Saint Mark 9:30-37
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My Reading Notes:
------------------
Whoever welcomes a child such as this in my name, welcomes me.
And this is the point exactly the same as Zheong Zi, who had mentioned about a theory of the unity of man and heaven(天人合一). If anyone "welcomes" a child, is to take the child as his own, is to treat the child as his own. And this is the unity of man and heaven, or the unity of man and Jesus.
If you welcome a child, you welcome Jesus into your mind, you had put heaven into your own mind, you had united yourself with the universe.
If you love your neighbour, you will love Jesus, you will love the whole world.
In this scripture, Jesus had taught us the wonderful idea about how to unite man and heaven.
If anyone who could understand this, he will not mind being the last. For his mind is not in himself, but the children of the world, but Jesus, but the whole universe.
2009年9月12日 星期六
Why should the Christians take up the cross?
My Sunday Scripture 2009.9.13
Now Jesus and his disciples set out for the villages of Caesarea Philippi. Along the way he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that I am?"
They said in reply, "John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others one of the prophets."
And he asked them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter said to him in reply, "You are the Messiah."
Then he warned them not to tell anyone about him.
He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and rise after three days.
He spoke this openly. Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
At this he turned around and, looking at his disciples, rebuked Peter and said, "Get behind me, Satan. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do."
He summoned the crowd with his disciples and said to them, "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the gospel will save it.
Saint Mark 8:27-35
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My Reading Notes:
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To take up the cross, is to take up the burden, take up the work.
It is the job for those who forgets about himself, who could think in the way of the universe, who could know the ultimate secret of life, who could know that life is but a flame of fire, not the running body machine outside the fire, and that life is a purpose to serve.
Now Jesus and his disciples set out for the villages of Caesarea Philippi. Along the way he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that I am?"
They said in reply, "John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others one of the prophets."
And he asked them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter said to him in reply, "You are the Messiah."
Then he warned them not to tell anyone about him.
He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and rise after three days.
He spoke this openly. Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
At this he turned around and, looking at his disciples, rebuked Peter and said, "Get behind me, Satan. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do."
He summoned the crowd with his disciples and said to them, "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the gospel will save it.
Saint Mark 8:27-35
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My Reading Notes:
------------------
To take up the cross, is to take up the burden, take up the work.
It is the job for those who forgets about himself, who could think in the way of the universe, who could know the ultimate secret of life, who could know that life is but a flame of fire, not the running body machine outside the fire, and that life is a purpose to serve.
2009年8月31日 星期一
Ephphetha is for us, too.
My Sunday Scripture 2009.9.6.
Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis.
There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged him to place his hand on the man.
After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit and touched the man’s tongue.
He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means, “Be opened!”).
At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly.
Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it.
People were overwhelmed with amazement. “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”
Saint Mark 7:31-37
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My Reading Notes:
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To a certain extend, we are all blind. We can not see the view from the upper level.
It is not easy to see that we are all blind. If some one who could be humble enough and he will learn this lesson, by admitting that "I am blind and can not see", then may he utter the sound "Ephphatha!" (be opened!) to heal himself out of the blindness.
(note: some spell Ephphetha, not Ephphatha)
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Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis.
There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged him to place his hand on the man.
After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit and touched the man’s tongue.
He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means, “Be opened!”).
At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly.
Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it.
People were overwhelmed with amazement. “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”
Saint Mark 7:31-37
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My Reading Notes:
-----------------
To a certain extend, we are all blind. We can not see the view from the upper level.
It is not easy to see that we are all blind. If some one who could be humble enough and he will learn this lesson, by admitting that "I am blind and can not see", then may he utter the sound "Ephphatha!" (be opened!) to heal himself out of the blindness.
(note: some spell Ephphetha, not Ephphatha)
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2009年8月29日 星期六
Where do the dirty things come from?
My Sunday Scripture 2009.8.30
Now when the Pharisees with some scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around him, they observed that some of his disciples ate their meals with unclean, that is, unwashed, hands. (For the Pharisees and, in fact, all Jews, do not eat without carefully washing their hands, keeping the tradition of the elders. And on coming from the marketplace they do not eat without purifying themselves. And there are many other things that they have traditionally observed, the purification of cups and jugs and kettles (and beds).) So the Pharisees and scribes questioned him, "Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders but instead eat a meal with unclean hands?" He responded, "Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written: 'This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; In vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts.' You disregard God's commandment but cling to human tradition." He summoned the crowd again and said to them, "Hear me, all of you, and understand. Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person; but the things that come out from within are what defile." From within people, from their hearts, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly. All these evils come from within and they defile."
Saint Mark 7:1-8.14-15.21-23.
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My Reading Notes:
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Where do the dirty things come from?
It is from within, not from outside. To purify oneself, is to clean it from inside.
The bigger motivation power is from within. If you wanted to do anything, it is from within that you wanted to do. If you do not wish to do anything, it is from within that you refuse to do.
And the question is: How do I know what is inside my mind? Am I doing the things I really wanted to do?
Could I be a fool doing all that is not my true wish?
And the answer is obvious.
Now when the Pharisees with some scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around him, they observed that some of his disciples ate their meals with unclean, that is, unwashed, hands. (For the Pharisees and, in fact, all Jews, do not eat without carefully washing their hands, keeping the tradition of the elders. And on coming from the marketplace they do not eat without purifying themselves. And there are many other things that they have traditionally observed, the purification of cups and jugs and kettles (and beds).) So the Pharisees and scribes questioned him, "Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders but instead eat a meal with unclean hands?" He responded, "Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written: 'This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; In vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts.' You disregard God's commandment but cling to human tradition." He summoned the crowd again and said to them, "Hear me, all of you, and understand. Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person; but the things that come out from within are what defile." From within people, from their hearts, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly. All these evils come from within and they defile."
Saint Mark 7:1-8.14-15.21-23.
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My Reading Notes:
------------------
Where do the dirty things come from?
It is from within, not from outside. To purify oneself, is to clean it from inside.
The bigger motivation power is from within. If you wanted to do anything, it is from within that you wanted to do. If you do not wish to do anything, it is from within that you refuse to do.
And the question is: How do I know what is inside my mind? Am I doing the things I really wanted to do?
Could I be a fool doing all that is not my true wish?
And the answer is obvious.
2009年8月22日 星期六
It is the spirit that gives life while the flesh is of no avail.
My Sunday Scriture 2009.8.23
Then many of his disciples who were listening said, "This saying is hard; who can accept it?" Since Jesus knew that his disciples were murmuring about this, he said to them, "Does this shock you? What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But there are some of you who do not believe." Jesus knew from the beginning the ones who would not believe and the one who would betray him. And he said, "For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by my Father." As a result of this, many (of) his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him. Jesus then said to the Twelve, "Do you also want to leave?" Simon Peter answered him, "Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God."
Saint John 6:60-69.
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My Reading Notes:
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It is very important idea: "It is the spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail." It is Jesus who told us to eat his flesh to gain eternal life, now Jesus told us more: It is the spirit that gives life, when we eat his flesh, he will remain in us and we in him, but it is the spirit which is more important. Jesus had said: "The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life."
Then many of his disciples who were listening said, "This saying is hard; who can accept it?" Since Jesus knew that his disciples were murmuring about this, he said to them, "Does this shock you? What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But there are some of you who do not believe." Jesus knew from the beginning the ones who would not believe and the one who would betray him. And he said, "For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by my Father." As a result of this, many (of) his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him. Jesus then said to the Twelve, "Do you also want to leave?" Simon Peter answered him, "Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God."
Saint John 6:60-69.
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My Reading Notes:
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It is very important idea: "It is the spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail." It is Jesus who told us to eat his flesh to gain eternal life, now Jesus told us more: It is the spirit that gives life, when we eat his flesh, he will remain in us and we in him, but it is the spirit which is more important. Jesus had said: "The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life."
2009年8月15日 星期六
We ARE one
My Sunday Scripture 2009.8.16
I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world." The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us (his) flesh to eat?" Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever."
Saint John 6:51-58.
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My Reading Notes:
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In this way, Jesus told us that we are connected, we have Him in us and he had us in Him. And that is why, we are all brothers and sisters, then we should love one another.We had Jesus in us, then we can happily said, we are Jesus. And this theory coincides with Zhuang Zi the ancient Chinese philosopher: We Are One.
I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world." The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us (his) flesh to eat?" Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever."
Saint John 6:51-58.
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My Reading Notes:
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In this way, Jesus told us that we are connected, we have Him in us and he had us in Him. And that is why, we are all brothers and sisters, then we should love one another.We had Jesus in us, then we can happily said, we are Jesus. And this theory coincides with Zhuang Zi the ancient Chinese philosopher: We Are One.
2009年8月8日 星期六
What is believing?
My Sunday Scripture 2009.8.9
The Jews murmured about him because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven," and they said, "Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph? Do we not know his father and mother? Then how can he say, 'I have come down from heaven'?" Jesus answered and said to them, "Stop murmuring among yourselves. No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him, and I will raise him on the last day. It is written in the prophets: 'They shall all be taught by God.' Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me. Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father. Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died; this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world."
Saint John 6:41-51
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My Reading Notes:
-----------------
Jesus said:"whoever believes has eternal life." But what is believing? To my understanding, believing is to do as Jesus taught, that is, to carry one's own cross and follow the path of loving.
Praying and worshipping are but part of the believing.
Real believing must be followed by the complete change of one's mind set and take suitable action that follows.
The Jews murmured about him because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven," and they said, "Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph? Do we not know his father and mother? Then how can he say, 'I have come down from heaven'?" Jesus answered and said to them, "Stop murmuring among yourselves. No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him, and I will raise him on the last day. It is written in the prophets: 'They shall all be taught by God.' Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me. Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father. Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died; this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world."
Saint John 6:41-51
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My Reading Notes:
-----------------
Jesus said:"whoever believes has eternal life." But what is believing? To my understanding, believing is to do as Jesus taught, that is, to carry one's own cross and follow the path of loving.
Praying and worshipping are but part of the believing.
Real believing must be followed by the complete change of one's mind set and take suitable action that follows.
2009年8月1日 星期六
What can we do
When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into boats and came to Capernaum looking for Jesus. And when they found him across the sea they said to him, "Rabbi, when did you get here?" Jesus answered them and said, "Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate the loaves and were filled. Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him the Father, God, has set his seal." So they said to him, "What can we do to accomplish the works of God?" Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent." So they said to him, "What sign can you do, that we may see and believe in you? What can you do? Our ancestors ate manna in the desert, as it is written: 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'" So Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." So they said to him, "Sir, give us this bread always." Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.
Saint John 6:24-35.
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My Reading Notes:
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The questiong here is: "What can we do?"
And the answer here is: "To believe in Jesus Christ"
What does it mean by "believing"?
It means, one must obey His teaching, and that means: to love one another.
and that also means, to dedicate oneself completely, and to open our eyes,
to feel the need of the others, to serve, to do what ever we can do.
Saint John 6:24-35.
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My Reading Notes:
-----------------
The questiong here is: "What can we do?"
And the answer here is: "To believe in Jesus Christ"
What does it mean by "believing"?
It means, one must obey His teaching, and that means: to love one another.
and that also means, to dedicate oneself completely, and to open our eyes,
to feel the need of the others, to serve, to do what ever we can do.
2009年7月25日 星期六
Political Matters are but temporary
My Sunday Scripture 2009.7.26
After this, Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee (of Tiberias). A large crowd followed him, because they saw the signs he was performing on the sick. Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. The Jewish feast of Passover was near. When Jesus raised his eyes and saw that a large crowd was coming to him, he said to Philip, "Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?" He said this to test him, because he himself knew what he was going to do. Philip answered him, "Two hundred days' wages worth of food would not be enough for each of them to have a little (bit)." One of his disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him, There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what good are these for so many? Jesus said, "Have the people recline." Now there was a great deal of grass in that place. So the men reclined, about five thousand in number. Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were reclining, and also as much of the fish as they wanted. When they had had their fill, he said to his disciples, "Gather the fragments left over, so that nothing will be wasted." So they collected them, and filled twelve wicker baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves that had been more than they could eat. When the people saw the sign he had done, they said, "This is truly the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world." Since Jesus knew that they were going to come and carry him off to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain alone.
Saint John 6:1-15.
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My Reading Notes:
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I think my feeling would very much be the same with the crowd. I would think Jesus is indeed the prophet to come. Men are created, but now the Creator had send his son to the created, to tell them the fact. And one more think worth thinking: Why did Jesus refuse to be the king of Jews? Why did he not take up the post as King David did? It might be that that the post of Kings are all political matters, and political matters are all temporary.
After this, Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee (of Tiberias). A large crowd followed him, because they saw the signs he was performing on the sick. Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. The Jewish feast of Passover was near. When Jesus raised his eyes and saw that a large crowd was coming to him, he said to Philip, "Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?" He said this to test him, because he himself knew what he was going to do. Philip answered him, "Two hundred days' wages worth of food would not be enough for each of them to have a little (bit)." One of his disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him, There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what good are these for so many? Jesus said, "Have the people recline." Now there was a great deal of grass in that place. So the men reclined, about five thousand in number. Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were reclining, and also as much of the fish as they wanted. When they had had their fill, he said to his disciples, "Gather the fragments left over, so that nothing will be wasted." So they collected them, and filled twelve wicker baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves that had been more than they could eat. When the people saw the sign he had done, they said, "This is truly the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world." Since Jesus knew that they were going to come and carry him off to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain alone.
Saint John 6:1-15.
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My Reading Notes:
----------------
I think my feeling would very much be the same with the crowd. I would think Jesus is indeed the prophet to come. Men are created, but now the Creator had send his son to the created, to tell them the fact. And one more think worth thinking: Why did Jesus refuse to be the king of Jews? Why did he not take up the post as King David did? It might be that that the post of Kings are all political matters, and political matters are all temporary.
2009年7月18日 星期六
I feel very much puzzled.
My Sunday Scripture 2009.7.19
The apostles gathered together with Jesus and reported all they had done and taught. He said to them, "Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while." People were coming and going in great numbers, and they had no opportunity even to eat. So they went off in the boat by themselves to a deserted place. People saw them leaving and many came to know about it. They hastened there on foot from all the towns and arrived at the place before them. When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.
Saint Mark 6:30-34
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My Reading Notes:
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I cannot do away the images I had got from the vast concerts held by Michael Jackson. I would have wondered, how Jesus would pitied the crowd there.
For they could have gained nothing from the concert singer, but a false feeling of angry expression. Human on earth is in a very pitiable situation nowadays. They dont know where to go, and they are very much blinded by the material world.
I can observe by my humble mind, that human spirits are like iron powers. They need guidence, they need a magnet to draw them together. Like the sheep need the Shepherd. Now the sheeps on earth go to the concert stars, and the stars are not shepherds. I feel very much puzzled.
The apostles gathered together with Jesus and reported all they had done and taught. He said to them, "Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while." People were coming and going in great numbers, and they had no opportunity even to eat. So they went off in the boat by themselves to a deserted place. People saw them leaving and many came to know about it. They hastened there on foot from all the towns and arrived at the place before them. When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.
Saint Mark 6:30-34
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My Reading Notes:
-----------------
I cannot do away the images I had got from the vast concerts held by Michael Jackson. I would have wondered, how Jesus would pitied the crowd there.
For they could have gained nothing from the concert singer, but a false feeling of angry expression. Human on earth is in a very pitiable situation nowadays. They dont know where to go, and they are very much blinded by the material world.
I can observe by my humble mind, that human spirits are like iron powers. They need guidence, they need a magnet to draw them together. Like the sheep need the Shepherd. Now the sheeps on earth go to the concert stars, and the stars are not shepherds. I feel very much puzzled.
2009年7月12日 星期日
Authority over unclean spirits
He summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits. He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick--no food, no sack, no money in their belts. They were, however, to wear sandals but not a second tunic. He said to them, "Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave from there. Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you, leave there and shake the dust off your feet in testimony against them." So they went off and preached repentance. They drove out many demons, and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.
Saint Mark 6:7-13.
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My Reading Notes:
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Those who were given authority have nothing in their hands.
When you have nothing, then you are fearless, and you are pure. Then you will have the power to fight.
.
Saint Mark 6:7-13.
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My Reading Notes:
-----------------
Those who were given authority have nothing in their hands.
When you have nothing, then you are fearless, and you are pure. Then you will have the power to fight.
.
2009年7月5日 星期日
Why Couldnt Jesus be accepted by his own native people?
My Sunday Scripture 2009.7.5.
He departed from there and came to his native place, accompanied by his disciples. When the sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished. They said, "Where did this man get all this? What kind of wisdom has been given him? What mighty deeds are wrought by his hands! Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him. Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own house." So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there, apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them. He was amazed at their lack of faith. He went around to the villages in the vicinity teaching.
Saint Mark 6:1-6.
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My Reading Notes:
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Why Couldnt Jesus be accepted by his own native people?
If a prophet is grown in his native land, people there can not accept him. It might be that the people had their own thinking pattern. They were used in their old thoughts. If people coming from within have a new thought, they tend not to accept.
And this is why, the Jewish Nation can not accept Jesus.
When an old thought is too strong, the old thought itself will expel any new elements.
He departed from there and came to his native place, accompanied by his disciples. When the sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished. They said, "Where did this man get all this? What kind of wisdom has been given him? What mighty deeds are wrought by his hands! Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him. Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own house." So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there, apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them. He was amazed at their lack of faith. He went around to the villages in the vicinity teaching.
Saint Mark 6:1-6.
-----------------
My Reading Notes:
-----------------
Why Couldnt Jesus be accepted by his own native people?
If a prophet is grown in his native land, people there can not accept him. It might be that the people had their own thinking pattern. They were used in their old thoughts. If people coming from within have a new thought, they tend not to accept.
And this is why, the Jewish Nation can not accept Jesus.
When an old thought is too strong, the old thought itself will expel any new elements.
2009年6月27日 星期六
Where are the miracles nowadays?
My Sunday Scripture 2009.6.28
When Jesus had crossed again (in the boat) to the other side, a large crowd gathered around him, and he stayed close to the sea. One of the synagogue officials, named Jairus, came forward. Seeing him he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him, saying, "My daughter is at the point of death. Please, come lay your hands on her that she may get well and live." He went off with him, and a large crowd followed him and pressed upon him. There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years. She had suffered greatly at the hands of many doctors and had spent all that she had. Yet she was not helped but only grew worse. She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak. She said, "If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured." Immediately her flow of blood dried up. She felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction. Jesus, aware at once that power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who has touched my clothes?" But his disciples said to him, "You see how the crowd is pressing upon you, and yet you ask, 'Who touched me?'" And he looked around to see who had done it. The woman, realizing what had happened to her, approached in fear and trembling. She fell down before Jesus and told him the whole truth. He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your affliction." While he was still speaking, people from the synagogue official's house arrived and said, "Your daughter has died; why trouble the teacher any longer?" Disregarding the message that was reported, Jesus said to the synagogue official, "Do not be afraid; just have faith." He did not allow anyone to accompany him inside except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. When they arrived at the house of the synagogue official, he caught sight of a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. So he went in and said to them, "Why this commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but asleep." And they ridiculed him. Then he put them all out. He took along the child's father and mother and those who were with him and entered the room where the child was. He took the child by the hand and said to her, "Talitha koum," which means, "Little girl, I say to you, arise!" The girl, a child of twelve, arose immediately and walked around. (At that) they were utterly astounded. He gave strict orders that no one should know this and said that she should be given something to eat.
Saint Mark 5:21-43.
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My Reading Notes:
-----------------
The myth of miracles could never be denied. But I used to have a question:
Where are the miracles nowadays? It seems to be very difficult to see a miracle
in the present day world.
My only explanation is that we dont have faith enough. Once we could have complete faith, miracles will happen. Once we could feel that we are completely dedicated and fear of nothing, we could witness miracles happen in the present day world.
Miracles did happen from time to time. Its only that people are not willing to tell what they had seen.
When Jesus had crossed again (in the boat) to the other side, a large crowd gathered around him, and he stayed close to the sea. One of the synagogue officials, named Jairus, came forward. Seeing him he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him, saying, "My daughter is at the point of death. Please, come lay your hands on her that she may get well and live." He went off with him, and a large crowd followed him and pressed upon him. There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years. She had suffered greatly at the hands of many doctors and had spent all that she had. Yet she was not helped but only grew worse. She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak. She said, "If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured." Immediately her flow of blood dried up. She felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction. Jesus, aware at once that power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who has touched my clothes?" But his disciples said to him, "You see how the crowd is pressing upon you, and yet you ask, 'Who touched me?'" And he looked around to see who had done it. The woman, realizing what had happened to her, approached in fear and trembling. She fell down before Jesus and told him the whole truth. He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your affliction." While he was still speaking, people from the synagogue official's house arrived and said, "Your daughter has died; why trouble the teacher any longer?" Disregarding the message that was reported, Jesus said to the synagogue official, "Do not be afraid; just have faith." He did not allow anyone to accompany him inside except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. When they arrived at the house of the synagogue official, he caught sight of a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. So he went in and said to them, "Why this commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but asleep." And they ridiculed him. Then he put them all out. He took along the child's father and mother and those who were with him and entered the room where the child was. He took the child by the hand and said to her, "Talitha koum," which means, "Little girl, I say to you, arise!" The girl, a child of twelve, arose immediately and walked around. (At that) they were utterly astounded. He gave strict orders that no one should know this and said that she should be given something to eat.
Saint Mark 5:21-43.
-----------------
My Reading Notes:
-----------------
The myth of miracles could never be denied. But I used to have a question:
Where are the miracles nowadays? It seems to be very difficult to see a miracle
in the present day world.
My only explanation is that we dont have faith enough. Once we could have complete faith, miracles will happen. Once we could feel that we are completely dedicated and fear of nothing, we could witness miracles happen in the present day world.
Miracles did happen from time to time. Its only that people are not willing to tell what they had seen.
2009年6月20日 星期六
that doesnt mean we can sit back and fold our hands
My Sunday Scripture 2009.6.21
On that day, as evening drew on, he said to them, "Let us cross to the other side." Leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat just as he was. And other boats were with him. A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was already filling up. Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion. They woke him and said to him, "Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?" He woke up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Quiet! Be still!" The wind ceased and there was great calm. Then he asked them, "Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?" They were filled with great awe and said to one another, "Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?"
Saint Mark 4:35-41.
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My Reading Notes:
-----------------
Jesus said to them: "Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?"
But we must not misinterpret this teaching.
We ought not be "terrified", but it is us who must work to fight back any hardships. With Jesus together, we fear nothing, but that doesnt mean doing nothing. We as human beings must take every measure to carry our crosses.
God is might. He can do anything. But that doesnt mean we can sit back and fold our hands and watch instead of working and fighting.
On that day, as evening drew on, he said to them, "Let us cross to the other side." Leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat just as he was. And other boats were with him. A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was already filling up. Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion. They woke him and said to him, "Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?" He woke up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Quiet! Be still!" The wind ceased and there was great calm. Then he asked them, "Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?" They were filled with great awe and said to one another, "Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?"
Saint Mark 4:35-41.
-----------------
My Reading Notes:
-----------------
Jesus said to them: "Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?"
But we must not misinterpret this teaching.
We ought not be "terrified", but it is us who must work to fight back any hardships. With Jesus together, we fear nothing, but that doesnt mean doing nothing. We as human beings must take every measure to carry our crosses.
God is might. He can do anything. But that doesnt mean we can sit back and fold our hands and watch instead of working and fighting.
2009年6月13日 星期六
We could do anything, and fear nothing.
My Sunday Scripture 2009.6.14
On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, his disciples said to him, "Where do you want us to go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?" He sent two of his disciples and said to them, "Go into the city and a man will meet you, carrying a jar of water. Follow him. Wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher says, "Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?"' Then he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready. Make the preparations for us there." The disciples then went off, entered the city, and found it just as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover. While they were eating, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, and said, "Take it; this is my body." Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from it. He said to them, "This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many. Amen, I say to you, I shall not drink again the fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God." Then, after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Saint Mark 14:12-16.22-26.
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My Reading Notes:
-----------------
The meaning of the Eucharist is quite the same with the teachings of Zhuang Zi.
Jesus our Lord had given us a very important lesson before he left us. We must be one with Him. Not only Zhuang Zi, but also in some other India philosophy, Oneness is the most important fact in life. If anyone who could see into this fact and live out the meaning of it, he could have peace in mind. For he will feel that he is not alone, he is one of the one. If we could have Jesus in us.....We could do anything,
and fear nothing.
On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, his disciples said to him, "Where do you want us to go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?" He sent two of his disciples and said to them, "Go into the city and a man will meet you, carrying a jar of water. Follow him. Wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher says, "Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?"' Then he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready. Make the preparations for us there." The disciples then went off, entered the city, and found it just as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover. While they were eating, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, and said, "Take it; this is my body." Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from it. He said to them, "This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many. Amen, I say to you, I shall not drink again the fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God." Then, after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Saint Mark 14:12-16.22-26.
-----------------
My Reading Notes:
-----------------
The meaning of the Eucharist is quite the same with the teachings of Zhuang Zi.
Jesus our Lord had given us a very important lesson before he left us. We must be one with Him. Not only Zhuang Zi, but also in some other India philosophy, Oneness is the most important fact in life. If anyone who could see into this fact and live out the meaning of it, he could have peace in mind. For he will feel that he is not alone, he is one of the one. If we could have Jesus in us.....We could do anything,
and fear nothing.
2009年6月6日 星期六
Human Mission
My Sunday Scripture 2009.6.7
The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them. When they saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted. Then Jesus approached and said to them, "All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age."
Saint Matthew 28:16-20.
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My Reading Notes:
-----------------
I can see that the human mission given from Jesus is to prepare all the nations and all the beings with baptizing, to make all people on earth observe the commnands of Jesus Christ: That is, to honor God and to love each other. And He has promised to be with us always, until the end of the age.
The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them. When they saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted. Then Jesus approached and said to them, "All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age."
Saint Matthew 28:16-20.
-----------------
My Reading Notes:
-----------------
I can see that the human mission given from Jesus is to prepare all the nations and all the beings with baptizing, to make all people on earth observe the commnands of Jesus Christ: That is, to honor God and to love each other. And He has promised to be with us always, until the end of the age.
2009年5月31日 星期日
Why do we need to know more?
My Sunday Scripture 2009.5.31.
When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth that proceeds from the Father, he will testify to me. And you also testify, because you have been with me from the beginning. I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming. He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. Everything that the Father has is mine; for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.
Saint John 15:26-27.16:12-15
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My Reading Notes:
-----------------
We wish to know all truth on earth, or in the universe always. But our wisdom can not bear it. Jesus wanted to tell us all. However, we can not bear it. Thus He had sent the Spirit of Truth to us. Through the Spirit of Truth, we could reach all the needed knowlege, and we could know what we are going to do.
By the help of the Advocator, we can know a little more and more.
And my point is: Knowing is doing. To know more, we can dedicate more.
When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth that proceeds from the Father, he will testify to me. And you also testify, because you have been with me from the beginning. I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming. He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. Everything that the Father has is mine; for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.
Saint John 15:26-27.16:12-15
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My Reading Notes:
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We wish to know all truth on earth, or in the universe always. But our wisdom can not bear it. Jesus wanted to tell us all. However, we can not bear it. Thus He had sent the Spirit of Truth to us. Through the Spirit of Truth, we could reach all the needed knowlege, and we could know what we are going to do.
By the help of the Advocator, we can know a little more and more.
And my point is: Knowing is doing. To know more, we can dedicate more.
2009年5月24日 星期日
Consecrate them in the truth
My Sunday Scripture 2009.5.24
And now I will no longer be in the world, but they are in the world, while I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are. When I was with them I protected them in your name that you gave me, and I guarded them, and none of them was lost except the son of destruction, in order that the scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you. I speak this in the world so that they may share my joy completely. I gave them your word, and the world hated them, because they do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world but that you keep them from the evil one. They do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. Consecrate them in the truth. Your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I sent them into the world. And I consecrate myself for them, so that they also may be consecrated in truth.
Saint John 17:11-19.
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My Reading Notes:
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I have found it difficult to understand. Jesus has consecrated himself for us.
and he meant consecrated us in truth. Is it that he has given us truth?
Yes.
Jesus has come to the world. He had guarded us against the son of destruction.
and He has given us the truth. In my understanding, the truth means love, or at least in the time being, it is love. We as a being on earth, the mission is to love each other. And this is what Jesus has taught us.
And now I will no longer be in the world, but they are in the world, while I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are. When I was with them I protected them in your name that you gave me, and I guarded them, and none of them was lost except the son of destruction, in order that the scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you. I speak this in the world so that they may share my joy completely. I gave them your word, and the world hated them, because they do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world but that you keep them from the evil one. They do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. Consecrate them in the truth. Your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I sent them into the world. And I consecrate myself for them, so that they also may be consecrated in truth.
Saint John 17:11-19.
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My Reading Notes:
-----------------
I have found it difficult to understand. Jesus has consecrated himself for us.
and he meant consecrated us in truth. Is it that he has given us truth?
Yes.
Jesus has come to the world. He had guarded us against the son of destruction.
and He has given us the truth. In my understanding, the truth means love, or at least in the time being, it is love. We as a being on earth, the mission is to love each other. And this is what Jesus has taught us.
2009年5月16日 星期六
What is the mission for human being?
My Sunday Scripture 2009.5.17.
As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete. This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father. It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you. This I command you: love one another.
Saint John 15:9-17.
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My Reading Notes:
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This may be the most important teaching we got from Jesus.
It includes every thing we need to know, at least, for the present.
Love is so important for human being. That is the ultimate difference of a human and an animal. Love is the only remedy for human, if we wish to live in the planet.
And Jesus has set the standard for love. To lay down one's life, is the highest standard. This is the most beautiful thing could have happened on earth: to use up your whole, to serve your friends, to dedicate. And that is the meaning of life.
If we could see this point through the theory of evolution, there are two stages:
one, the animal stage. the next, human stage.
In the animal stage, the animals strike for a better living through killing.
Now we are in the next stage. We strike for a better living through love.
We must love each other. This is the "reason" that, I love you.
As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete. This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father. It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you. This I command you: love one another.
Saint John 15:9-17.
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My Reading Notes:
----------------
This may be the most important teaching we got from Jesus.
It includes every thing we need to know, at least, for the present.
Love is so important for human being. That is the ultimate difference of a human and an animal. Love is the only remedy for human, if we wish to live in the planet.
And Jesus has set the standard for love. To lay down one's life, is the highest standard. This is the most beautiful thing could have happened on earth: to use up your whole, to serve your friends, to dedicate. And that is the meaning of life.
If we could see this point through the theory of evolution, there are two stages:
one, the animal stage. the next, human stage.
In the animal stage, the animals strike for a better living through killing.
Now we are in the next stage. We strike for a better living through love.
We must love each other. This is the "reason" that, I love you.
2009年5月10日 星期日
Remain in the Power Source
My Sunday Scripture 2009.5.10
I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and everyone that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit. You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you. Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me will be thrown out like a branch and wither; people will gather them and throw them into a fire and they will be burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you. By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.
Saint John 15,1-8.
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My Reading Notes:
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To day I attended a mass in St.Anthony's Church, The priest Simon Lam has a very good explanation of this scripture. He said it is just like an electric fan. You must plug it into the socket. If it is not plugged, it is useless.
We are one of the universe, but if we are not connected, we will lose our living power.
I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and everyone that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit. You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you. Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me will be thrown out like a branch and wither; people will gather them and throw them into a fire and they will be burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you. By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.
Saint John 15,1-8.
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My Reading Notes:
-----------------
To day I attended a mass in St.Anthony's Church, The priest Simon Lam has a very good explanation of this scripture. He said it is just like an electric fan. You must plug it into the socket. If it is not plugged, it is useless.
We are one of the universe, but if we are not connected, we will lose our living power.
2009年5月2日 星期六
A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
My Sunday Scripture 2009.5.3.
I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. A hired man, who is not a shepherd and whose sheep are not his own, sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf catches and scatters them. This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd. This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again. This command I have received from my Father."
Saint John 10,11-18.
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My Reading Notes:
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What is a Life? Here is the ultimate truth about life.
Life is composed of two parts. One is the shepherd, the
other is the sheep. The valuable life is the use of it.
If you are for the people, then you are dedicated, you
can use your whole life to fulfill that goal.
If you are not for the people, then you are nothing.
Life without a serving purpose, is not life.
I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. A hired man, who is not a shepherd and whose sheep are not his own, sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf catches and scatters them. This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd. This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again. This command I have received from my Father."
Saint John 10,11-18.
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My Reading Notes:
------------------
What is a Life? Here is the ultimate truth about life.
Life is composed of two parts. One is the shepherd, the
other is the sheep. The valuable life is the use of it.
If you are for the people, then you are dedicated, you
can use your whole life to fulfill that goal.
If you are not for the people, then you are nothing.
Life without a serving purpose, is not life.
2009年4月25日 星期六
God is not only spiritual
My Sunday Scripture 2009.4.26.
Then the two recounted what had taken place on the way and how he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread. While they were still speaking about this, he stood in their midst and said to them, "Peace be with you." But they were startled and terrified and thought that they were seeing a ghost. Then he said to them, "Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have." And as he said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. While they were still incredulous for joy and were amazed, he asked them, "Have you anything here to eat?" They gave him a piece of baked fish; he took it and ate it in front of them. He said to them, "These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and in the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled." Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures. And he said to them, "Thus it is written that the Messiah would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.
Saint Luke 24,35-48.
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My Reading Notes:
---------------------
This Scripture is of utmost importance, because many of the thoughts here are basic elements of our faith.
The first thing is the Resurrection.
And the point is: How could the Resurrection happen. Is Jesus a Ghost?
He told us not. He is got flesh, and feelings and could be touched and needed eating, just like us.
It is hard to understand. We used to think: God is "only" spiritual. But He is not.
And this is the important element of the trinity.
I can only have a little glimpse into the matter. However, the Sky had been slitted open, and we could see into it through this.
Then the two recounted what had taken place on the way and how he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread. While they were still speaking about this, he stood in their midst and said to them, "Peace be with you." But they were startled and terrified and thought that they were seeing a ghost. Then he said to them, "Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have." And as he said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. While they were still incredulous for joy and were amazed, he asked them, "Have you anything here to eat?" They gave him a piece of baked fish; he took it and ate it in front of them. He said to them, "These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and in the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled." Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures. And he said to them, "Thus it is written that the Messiah would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.
Saint Luke 24,35-48.
---------------------
My Reading Notes:
---------------------
This Scripture is of utmost importance, because many of the thoughts here are basic elements of our faith.
The first thing is the Resurrection.
And the point is: How could the Resurrection happen. Is Jesus a Ghost?
He told us not. He is got flesh, and feelings and could be touched and needed eating, just like us.
It is hard to understand. We used to think: God is "only" spiritual. But He is not.
And this is the important element of the trinity.
I can only have a little glimpse into the matter. However, the Sky had been slitted open, and we could see into it through this.
2009年4月17日 星期五
Seeing and Beliving
My Sunday Scripture 2009.4.19
Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.
Saint John 20:19-31
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My Reading Notes:
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I would try to use modern psychology to express my understanding.
We as a human being have different cognitional ablilities.
But our abilities are limited. We must admit we are a limited creature.
We are NOT all powerful, we are NOT all mighty. We can use our several (six?)
senses to probe into the world.
Above all these senses, there must be other senses which we either have not
acquired or processed.
So, seeing is not the only condition for truth.
and experimenting is not either.
Truth is more then that.
In the gaps of truth, we need Faith.
Faith is what the other creatures, (in this case, the God) could help us to see into things.
Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.
Saint John 20:19-31
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My Reading Notes:
-----------------
I would try to use modern psychology to express my understanding.
We as a human being have different cognitional ablilities.
But our abilities are limited. We must admit we are a limited creature.
We are NOT all powerful, we are NOT all mighty. We can use our several (six?)
senses to probe into the world.
Above all these senses, there must be other senses which we either have not
acquired or processed.
So, seeing is not the only condition for truth.
and experimenting is not either.
Truth is more then that.
In the gaps of truth, we need Faith.
Faith is what the other creatures, (in this case, the God) could help us to see into things.
2009年4月12日 星期日
What is the meaning of Jesus
My Sunday Scripture 2009.4.12
On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, "They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don't know where they put him." So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first; he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in. When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place. Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed. For they did not yet understand the scripture that he had to rise from the dead.
Saint John 20,1-9
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My Reading Notes:
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That Jesus had been in the world, though it was only a very short period of time.
He had been here with us. He had been suffered, died and reborn again.
He had been with us ever since. He had not leaved. He is here.
He had brought us a message.
He told us, what is truth.
He ordered us to love each other, and the enemies.
Before, we only know to love our love ones. But he had told us,
if we can love only our love ones, then there will be no merit.
We must understand this.
On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, "They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don't know where they put him." So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first; he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in. When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place. Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed. For they did not yet understand the scripture that he had to rise from the dead.
Saint John 20,1-9
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My Reading Notes:
-----------------
That Jesus had been in the world, though it was only a very short period of time.
He had been here with us. He had been suffered, died and reborn again.
He had been with us ever since. He had not leaved. He is here.
He had brought us a message.
He told us, what is truth.
He ordered us to love each other, and the enemies.
Before, we only know to love our love ones. But he had told us,
if we can love only our love ones, then there will be no merit.
We must understand this.
2009年4月4日 星期六
Who has crucified Jesus?
My Sunday Scripture 2009.4.5
The Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were to take place in two days' time. So the chief priests and the scribes were seeking a way to arrest him by treachery and put him to death. They said, "Not during the festival, for fear that there may be a riot among the people." When he was in Bethany reclining at table in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of perfumed oil, costly genuine spikenard. She broke the alabaster jar and poured it on his head. There were some who were indignant. "Why has there been this waste of perfumed oil? It could have been sold for more than three hundred days' wages and the money given to the poor." They were infuriated with her. Jesus said, "Let her alone. Why do you make trouble for her? She has done a good thing for me. The poor you will always have with you, and whenever you wish you can do good to them, but you will not always have me. She has done what she could. She has anticipated anointing my body for burial. Amen, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed to the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her." Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went off to the chief priests to hand him over to them. When they heard him they were pleased and promised to pay him money. Then he looked for an opportunity to hand him over. On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, his disciples said to him, "Where do you want us to go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?" He sent two of his disciples and said to them, "Go into the city and a man will meet you, carrying a jar of water. Follow him. Wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher says, "Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?"' Then he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready. Make the preparations for us there." The disciples then went off, entered the city, and found it just as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover. When it was evening, he came with the Twelve. And as they reclined at table and were eating, Jesus said, "Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me." They began to be distressed and to say to him, one by one, "Surely it is not I?" He said to them, "One of the Twelve, the one who dips with me into the dish. For the Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had never been born." While they were eating, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, and said, "Take it; this is my body." Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from it. He said to them, "This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many. Amen, I say to you, I shall not drink again the fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God." Then, after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Then Jesus said to them, "All of you will have your faith shaken, for it is written: 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be dispersed.' But after I have been raised up, I shall go before you to Galilee." Peter said to him, "Even though all should have their faith shaken, mine will not be." Then Jesus said to him, "Amen, I say to you, this very night before the cock crows twice you will deny me three times." But he vehemently replied, "Even though I should have to die with you, I will not deny you." And they all spoke similarly. Then they came to a place named Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, "Sit here while I pray." He took with him Peter, James, and John, and began to be troubled and distressed. Then he said to them, "My soul is sorrowful even to death. Remain here and keep watch." He advanced a little and fell to the ground and prayed that if it were possible the hour might pass by him; he said, "Abba, Father, all things are possible to you. Take this cup away from me, but not what I will but what you will." When he returned he found them asleep. He said to Peter, "Simon, are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak." Withdrawing again, he prayed, saying the same thing. Then he returned once more and found them asleep, for they could not keep their eyes open and did not know what to answer him. He returned a third time and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough. The hour has come. Behold, the Son of Man is to be handed over to sinners. Get up, let us go. See, my betrayer is at hand." Then, while he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived, accompanied by a crowd with swords and clubs who had come from the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders. His betrayer had arranged a signal with them, saying, "The man I shall kiss is the one; arrest him and lead him away securely." He came and immediately went over to him and said, "Rabbi." And he kissed him. At this they laid hands on him and arrested him. One of the bystanders drew his sword, struck the high priest's servant, and cut off his ear. Jesus said to them in reply, "Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs, to seize me? Day after day I was with you teaching in the temple area, yet you did not arrest me; but that the scriptures may be fulfilled." And they all left him and fled. Now a young man followed him wearing nothing but a linen cloth about his body. They seized him, but he left the cloth behind and ran off naked. They led Jesus away to the high priest, and all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes came together. Peter followed him at a distance into the high priest's courtyard and was seated with the guards, warming himself at the fire. The chief priests and the entire Sanhedrin kept trying to obtain testimony against Jesus in order to put him to death, but they found none. Many gave false witness against him, but their testimony did not agree. Some took the stand and testified falsely against him, alleging, We heard him say, 'I will destroy this temple made with hands and within three days I will build another not made with hands.' Even so their testimony did not agree. The high priest rose before the assembly and questioned Jesus, saying, "Have you no answer? What are these men testifying against you?" But he was silent and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him and said to him, "Are you the Messiah, the son of the Blessed One?" Then Jesus answered, "I am; and 'you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power and coming with the clouds of heaven.'" At that the high priest tore his garments and said, "What further need have we of witnesses? You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?" They all condemned him as deserving to die. Some began to spit on him. They blindfolded him and struck him and said to him, "Prophesy!" And the guards greeted him with blows. While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the high priest's maids came along. Seeing Peter warming himself, she looked intently at him and said, "You too were with the Nazarene, Jesus." But he denied it saying, "I neither know nor understand what you are talking about." So he went out into the outer court. (Then the cock crowed.) The maid saw him and began again to say to the bystanders, "This man is one of them." Once again he denied it. A little later the bystanders said to Peter once more, "Surely you are one of them; for you too are a Galilean." He began to curse and to swear, "I do not know this man about whom you are talking." And immediately a cock crowed a second time. Then Peter remembered the word that Jesus had said to him, "Before the cock crows twice you will deny me three times." He broke down and wept. As soon as morning came, the chief priests with the elders and the scribes, that is, the whole Sanhedrin, held a council. They bound Jesus, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate. Pilate questioned him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" He said to him in reply, "You say so." The chief priests accused him of many things. Again Pilate questioned him, "Have you no answer? See how many things they accuse you of." Jesus gave him no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed. Now on the occasion of the feast he used to release to them one prisoner whom they requested. A man called Barabbas was then in prison along with the rebels who had committed murder in a rebellion. The crowd came forward and began to ask him to do for them as he was accustomed. Pilate answered, "Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?" For he knew that it was out of envy that the chief priests had handed him over. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release Barabbas for them instead. Pilate again said to them in reply, "Then what (do you want) me to do with (the man you call) the king of the Jews?" They shouted again, "Crucify him." Pilate said to them, "Why? What evil has he done?" They only shouted the louder, "Crucify him." So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas to them and, after he had Jesus scourged, handed him over to be crucified. The soldiers led him away inside the palace, that is, the praetorium, and assembled the whole cohort. They clothed him in purple and, weaving a crown of thorns, placed it on him. They began to salute him with, "Hail, King of the Jews!" and kept striking his head with a reed and spitting upon him. They knelt before him in homage. And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak, dressed him in his own clothes, and led him out to crucify him. They pressed into service a passer-by, Simon, a Cyrenian, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross. They brought him to the place of Golgotha (which is translated Place of the Skull). They gave him wine drugged with myrrh, but he did not take it. Then they crucified him and divided his garments by casting lots for them to see what each should take. It was nine o'clock in the morning when they crucified him. The inscription of the charge against him read, "The King of the Jews." With him they crucified two revolutionaries, one on his right and one on his left. ) Those passing by reviled him, shaking their heads and saying, "Aha! You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself by coming down from the cross." Likewise the chief priests, with the scribes, mocked him among themselves and said, "He saved others; he cannot save himself. Let the Messiah, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe." Those who were crucified with him also kept abusing him. At noon darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And at three o'clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?" which is translated, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Some of the bystanders who heard it said, "Look, he is calling Elijah." One of them ran, soaked a sponge with wine, put it on a reed, and gave it to him to drink, saying, "Wait, let us see if Elijah comes to take him down." Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last. The veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom. When the centurion who stood facing him saw how he breathed his last he said, "Truly this man was the Son of God!"
Saint Mark 14,1-72.15,1-39.
My Reading Notes:
My question is: Who has crucisified Jesus?
My answer is : We did.
In all our heart and soul, there is a trace of guilt. We had always done wrong.
Thought we can repent sometimes. But the actual crime was done by human beings.
This is the reason for Peter to weep.
He had denied God. And so was I.
We are a group of people living on earth. Jesus has brought us new hope.
And we had killed him.
Now is the time to rethink everything.
The Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were to take place in two days' time. So the chief priests and the scribes were seeking a way to arrest him by treachery and put him to death. They said, "Not during the festival, for fear that there may be a riot among the people." When he was in Bethany reclining at table in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of perfumed oil, costly genuine spikenard. She broke the alabaster jar and poured it on his head. There were some who were indignant. "Why has there been this waste of perfumed oil? It could have been sold for more than three hundred days' wages and the money given to the poor." They were infuriated with her. Jesus said, "Let her alone. Why do you make trouble for her? She has done a good thing for me. The poor you will always have with you, and whenever you wish you can do good to them, but you will not always have me. She has done what she could. She has anticipated anointing my body for burial. Amen, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed to the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her." Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went off to the chief priests to hand him over to them. When they heard him they were pleased and promised to pay him money. Then he looked for an opportunity to hand him over. On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, his disciples said to him, "Where do you want us to go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?" He sent two of his disciples and said to them, "Go into the city and a man will meet you, carrying a jar of water. Follow him. Wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher says, "Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?"' Then he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready. Make the preparations for us there." The disciples then went off, entered the city, and found it just as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover. When it was evening, he came with the Twelve. And as they reclined at table and were eating, Jesus said, "Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me." They began to be distressed and to say to him, one by one, "Surely it is not I?" He said to them, "One of the Twelve, the one who dips with me into the dish. For the Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had never been born." While they were eating, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, and said, "Take it; this is my body." Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from it. He said to them, "This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many. Amen, I say to you, I shall not drink again the fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God." Then, after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Then Jesus said to them, "All of you will have your faith shaken, for it is written: 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be dispersed.' But after I have been raised up, I shall go before you to Galilee." Peter said to him, "Even though all should have their faith shaken, mine will not be." Then Jesus said to him, "Amen, I say to you, this very night before the cock crows twice you will deny me three times." But he vehemently replied, "Even though I should have to die with you, I will not deny you." And they all spoke similarly. Then they came to a place named Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, "Sit here while I pray." He took with him Peter, James, and John, and began to be troubled and distressed. Then he said to them, "My soul is sorrowful even to death. Remain here and keep watch." He advanced a little and fell to the ground and prayed that if it were possible the hour might pass by him; he said, "Abba, Father, all things are possible to you. Take this cup away from me, but not what I will but what you will." When he returned he found them asleep. He said to Peter, "Simon, are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak." Withdrawing again, he prayed, saying the same thing. Then he returned once more and found them asleep, for they could not keep their eyes open and did not know what to answer him. He returned a third time and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough. The hour has come. Behold, the Son of Man is to be handed over to sinners. Get up, let us go. See, my betrayer is at hand." Then, while he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived, accompanied by a crowd with swords and clubs who had come from the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders. His betrayer had arranged a signal with them, saying, "The man I shall kiss is the one; arrest him and lead him away securely." He came and immediately went over to him and said, "Rabbi." And he kissed him. At this they laid hands on him and arrested him. One of the bystanders drew his sword, struck the high priest's servant, and cut off his ear. Jesus said to them in reply, "Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs, to seize me? Day after day I was with you teaching in the temple area, yet you did not arrest me; but that the scriptures may be fulfilled." And they all left him and fled. Now a young man followed him wearing nothing but a linen cloth about his body. They seized him, but he left the cloth behind and ran off naked. They led Jesus away to the high priest, and all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes came together. Peter followed him at a distance into the high priest's courtyard and was seated with the guards, warming himself at the fire. The chief priests and the entire Sanhedrin kept trying to obtain testimony against Jesus in order to put him to death, but they found none. Many gave false witness against him, but their testimony did not agree. Some took the stand and testified falsely against him, alleging, We heard him say, 'I will destroy this temple made with hands and within three days I will build another not made with hands.' Even so their testimony did not agree. The high priest rose before the assembly and questioned Jesus, saying, "Have you no answer? What are these men testifying against you?" But he was silent and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him and said to him, "Are you the Messiah, the son of the Blessed One?" Then Jesus answered, "I am; and 'you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power and coming with the clouds of heaven.'" At that the high priest tore his garments and said, "What further need have we of witnesses? You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?" They all condemned him as deserving to die. Some began to spit on him. They blindfolded him and struck him and said to him, "Prophesy!" And the guards greeted him with blows. While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the high priest's maids came along. Seeing Peter warming himself, she looked intently at him and said, "You too were with the Nazarene, Jesus." But he denied it saying, "I neither know nor understand what you are talking about." So he went out into the outer court. (Then the cock crowed.) The maid saw him and began again to say to the bystanders, "This man is one of them." Once again he denied it. A little later the bystanders said to Peter once more, "Surely you are one of them; for you too are a Galilean." He began to curse and to swear, "I do not know this man about whom you are talking." And immediately a cock crowed a second time. Then Peter remembered the word that Jesus had said to him, "Before the cock crows twice you will deny me three times." He broke down and wept. As soon as morning came, the chief priests with the elders and the scribes, that is, the whole Sanhedrin, held a council. They bound Jesus, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate. Pilate questioned him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" He said to him in reply, "You say so." The chief priests accused him of many things. Again Pilate questioned him, "Have you no answer? See how many things they accuse you of." Jesus gave him no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed. Now on the occasion of the feast he used to release to them one prisoner whom they requested. A man called Barabbas was then in prison along with the rebels who had committed murder in a rebellion. The crowd came forward and began to ask him to do for them as he was accustomed. Pilate answered, "Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?" For he knew that it was out of envy that the chief priests had handed him over. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release Barabbas for them instead. Pilate again said to them in reply, "Then what (do you want) me to do with (the man you call) the king of the Jews?" They shouted again, "Crucify him." Pilate said to them, "Why? What evil has he done?" They only shouted the louder, "Crucify him." So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas to them and, after he had Jesus scourged, handed him over to be crucified. The soldiers led him away inside the palace, that is, the praetorium, and assembled the whole cohort. They clothed him in purple and, weaving a crown of thorns, placed it on him. They began to salute him with, "Hail, King of the Jews!" and kept striking his head with a reed and spitting upon him. They knelt before him in homage. And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak, dressed him in his own clothes, and led him out to crucify him. They pressed into service a passer-by, Simon, a Cyrenian, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross. They brought him to the place of Golgotha (which is translated Place of the Skull). They gave him wine drugged with myrrh, but he did not take it. Then they crucified him and divided his garments by casting lots for them to see what each should take. It was nine o'clock in the morning when they crucified him. The inscription of the charge against him read, "The King of the Jews." With him they crucified two revolutionaries, one on his right and one on his left. ) Those passing by reviled him, shaking their heads and saying, "Aha! You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself by coming down from the cross." Likewise the chief priests, with the scribes, mocked him among themselves and said, "He saved others; he cannot save himself. Let the Messiah, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe." Those who were crucified with him also kept abusing him. At noon darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And at three o'clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?" which is translated, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Some of the bystanders who heard it said, "Look, he is calling Elijah." One of them ran, soaked a sponge with wine, put it on a reed, and gave it to him to drink, saying, "Wait, let us see if Elijah comes to take him down." Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last. The veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom. When the centurion who stood facing him saw how he breathed his last he said, "Truly this man was the Son of God!"
Saint Mark 14,1-72.15,1-39.
My Reading Notes:
My question is: Who has crucisified Jesus?
My answer is : We did.
In all our heart and soul, there is a trace of guilt. We had always done wrong.
Thought we can repent sometimes. But the actual crime was done by human beings.
This is the reason for Peter to weep.
He had denied God. And so was I.
We are a group of people living on earth. Jesus has brought us new hope.
And we had killed him.
Now is the time to rethink everything.
2009年3月29日 星期日
If it dies, it produces much fruit
My Sunday Scripture 2009.3.29
Now there were some Greeks among those who had come up to worship at the feast. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, "Sir, we would like to see Jesus." Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. Jesus answered them, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me. I am troubled now. Yet what should I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? But it was for this purpose that I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name." Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it and will glorify it again." The crowd there heard it and said it was thunder; but others said, "An angel has spoken to him." Jesus answered and said, "This voice did not come for my sake but for yours. Now is the time of judgment on this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself." He said this indicating the kind of death he would die.
Saint John 12,20-33.
--------------------
My Reading Notes:
--------------------
If it dies, it produces much fruit. And this is the ultimate truth about life.
What if we never die. What if we are preserved and refrigerated. That means
a useless death. The real meaning of life is to produce.
Now there were some Greeks among those who had come up to worship at the feast. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, "Sir, we would like to see Jesus." Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. Jesus answered them, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me. I am troubled now. Yet what should I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? But it was for this purpose that I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name." Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it and will glorify it again." The crowd there heard it and said it was thunder; but others said, "An angel has spoken to him." Jesus answered and said, "This voice did not come for my sake but for yours. Now is the time of judgment on this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself." He said this indicating the kind of death he would die.
Saint John 12,20-33.
--------------------
My Reading Notes:
--------------------
If it dies, it produces much fruit. And this is the ultimate truth about life.
What if we never die. What if we are preserved and refrigerated. That means
a useless death. The real meaning of life is to produce.
2009年3月22日 星期日
People Preferred Darkness to Light
My Sunday Scripture 2009.3.22
And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life." For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed. But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.
Saint John 3,14-21.
--------------------
My Reading Notes:
--------------------
Jesus was sent to the world to save the world.
He had brought us light.
But people, always perfer darkness.
What is light?
Love is light.
It is so simple a matter, however, we have to use
so mush effort to learn it.
If we choose love, then we have light, then we are saved.
It is as simple as that.
And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life." For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed. But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.
Saint John 3,14-21.
--------------------
My Reading Notes:
--------------------
Jesus was sent to the world to save the world.
He had brought us light.
But people, always perfer darkness.
What is light?
Love is light.
It is so simple a matter, however, we have to use
so mush effort to learn it.
If we choose love, then we have light, then we are saved.
It is as simple as that.
2009年3月15日 星期日
Spiritual is holy and should never be intruded by Material
My Sunday Scripture 2009.3.15
Since the Passover of the Jews was near, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. He found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves, as well as the money-changers seated there. He made a whip out of cords and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen, and spilled the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables, and to those who sold doves he said, "Take these out of here, and stop making my Father's house a marketplace." His disciples recalled the words of scripture, "Zeal for your house will consume me." At this the Jews answered and said to him, "What sign can you show us for doing this?" Jesus answered and said to them, "Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up." The Jews said, "This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and you will raise it up in three days?" But he was speaking about the temple of his body. Therefore, when he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they came to believe the scripture and the word Jesus had spoken. While he was in Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, many began to believe in his name when they saw the signs he was doing. But Jesus would not trust himself to them because he knew them all, and did not need anyone to testify about human nature. He himself understood it well.
Saint John 2,13-25.
-----------------
My Reading Notes:
-----------------
Holy is the spiritual. Holy is the temple. Holy is the mind.
Spiritual matter shouln never be tainted by worldly and material
matter.
Every aim on earth should be considered this way.
It is not to neglect material matters, it is not to do away trades, and
markets. But we should always remember: we are living on the wisdom of God,not on money.
Only on such basic consideration, could we understand the phase:
"Zeal for your house will consume me."
Since the Passover of the Jews was near, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. He found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves, as well as the money-changers seated there. He made a whip out of cords and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen, and spilled the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables, and to those who sold doves he said, "Take these out of here, and stop making my Father's house a marketplace." His disciples recalled the words of scripture, "Zeal for your house will consume me." At this the Jews answered and said to him, "What sign can you show us for doing this?" Jesus answered and said to them, "Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up." The Jews said, "This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and you will raise it up in three days?" But he was speaking about the temple of his body. Therefore, when he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they came to believe the scripture and the word Jesus had spoken. While he was in Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, many began to believe in his name when they saw the signs he was doing. But Jesus would not trust himself to them because he knew them all, and did not need anyone to testify about human nature. He himself understood it well.
Saint John 2,13-25.
-----------------
My Reading Notes:
-----------------
Holy is the spiritual. Holy is the temple. Holy is the mind.
Spiritual matter shouln never be tainted by worldly and material
matter.
Every aim on earth should be considered this way.
It is not to neglect material matters, it is not to do away trades, and
markets. But we should always remember: we are living on the wisdom of God,not on money.
Only on such basic consideration, could we understand the phase:
"Zeal for your house will consume me."
2009年3月7日 星期六
This is my beloved son
My Sunday SCripture 2009.3.8.
After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no fuller on earth could bleach them. Then Elijah appeared to them along with Moses, and they were conversing with Jesus. Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, "Rabbi, it is good that we are here! Let us make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." He hardly knew what to say, they were so terrified. Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them; then from the cloud came a voice, "This is my beloved Son. Listen to him." Suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone but Jesus alone with them. As they were coming down from the mountain, he charged them not to relate what they had seen to anyone, except when the Son of Man had risen from the dead. So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what rising from the dead meant.
Saint Mark 9,2-10.
-------------------
My Reading Notes:
-------------------
God has sent us His son, as our Savior. And God had requested us to "Listen to Him".
The utmost important thing is to know: What did Jesus say? We are to listen to
what?
I think that Jesus had taught us LOVE. Love is above everything,
we are to love each other, we are to love our neighbours and enemies.
We love not only our relatives. We must love each other and every one another.
It is important to learn this, as Confucius only told us to love our blood-related kins and that is the only way to foolishness.
After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no fuller on earth could bleach them. Then Elijah appeared to them along with Moses, and they were conversing with Jesus. Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, "Rabbi, it is good that we are here! Let us make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." He hardly knew what to say, they were so terrified. Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them; then from the cloud came a voice, "This is my beloved Son. Listen to him." Suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone but Jesus alone with them. As they were coming down from the mountain, he charged them not to relate what they had seen to anyone, except when the Son of Man had risen from the dead. So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what rising from the dead meant.
Saint Mark 9,2-10.
-------------------
My Reading Notes:
-------------------
God has sent us His son, as our Savior. And God had requested us to "Listen to Him".
The utmost important thing is to know: What did Jesus say? We are to listen to
what?
I think that Jesus had taught us LOVE. Love is above everything,
we are to love each other, we are to love our neighbours and enemies.
We love not only our relatives. We must love each other and every one another.
It is important to learn this, as Confucius only told us to love our blood-related kins and that is the only way to foolishness.
2009年3月1日 星期日
The Kingdom of God is at hand
My Sunday Scripture 2009.3.1
At once the Spirit drove him out into the desert, and he remained in the desert for forty days, tempted by Satan. He was among wild beasts, and the angels ministered to him. After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God: This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.
Saint Mark 1,12-15.
-------------------
My Reading Notes:
-------------------
What will happen in the near near future?
What will happen very very soon?
We will soon be on the hands of God.
Don't we forget this.
At once the Spirit drove him out into the desert, and he remained in the desert for forty days, tempted by Satan. He was among wild beasts, and the angels ministered to him. After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God: This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.
Saint Mark 1,12-15.
-------------------
My Reading Notes:
-------------------
What will happen in the near near future?
What will happen very very soon?
We will soon be on the hands of God.
Don't we forget this.
2009年2月21日 星期六
You just rise, and pick up your mat
My Sunday Scritpure 2009.2.22
When Jesus returned to Capernaum after some days, it became known that he was at home. Many gathered together so that there was no longer room for them, not even around the door, and he preached the word to them. They came bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. Unable to get near Jesus because of the crowd, they opened up the roof above him. After they had broken through, they let down the mat on which the paralytic was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Child, your sins are forgiven." Now some of the scribes were sitting there asking themselves, Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming. Who but God alone can forgive sins? Jesus immediately knew in his mind what they were thinking to themselves, so he said, "Why are you thinking such things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise, pick up your mat and walk'? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth"-- he said to the paralytic, "I say to you, rise, pick up your mat, and go home." He rose, picked up his mat at once, and went away in the sight of everyone. They were all astounded and glorified God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this."
Saint Mark 2,1-12
My Reading Notes:
It is as simply as that: When you hear the word, pick up your mat.
You just do the same. You just rise, and pick up your mat, and that
is ALL you need to do.
Or you can refuse to rise and never pick up your mat........
When Jesus returned to Capernaum after some days, it became known that he was at home. Many gathered together so that there was no longer room for them, not even around the door, and he preached the word to them. They came bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. Unable to get near Jesus because of the crowd, they opened up the roof above him. After they had broken through, they let down the mat on which the paralytic was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Child, your sins are forgiven." Now some of the scribes were sitting there asking themselves, Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming. Who but God alone can forgive sins? Jesus immediately knew in his mind what they were thinking to themselves, so he said, "Why are you thinking such things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise, pick up your mat and walk'? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth"-- he said to the paralytic, "I say to you, rise, pick up your mat, and go home." He rose, picked up his mat at once, and went away in the sight of everyone. They were all astounded and glorified God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this."
Saint Mark 2,1-12
My Reading Notes:
It is as simply as that: When you hear the word, pick up your mat.
You just do the same. You just rise, and pick up your mat, and that
is ALL you need to do.
Or you can refuse to rise and never pick up your mat........
2009年2月14日 星期六
Jesus touched him
My Sunday Scripture 2009.2.15
A leper came to him (and kneeling down) begged him and said, "If you wish, you can make me clean." Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touched him, and said to him, "I do will it. Be made clean." The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean. Then, warning him sternly, he dismissed him at once. Then he said to him, "See that you tell no one anything, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them." The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter. He spread the report abroad so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly. He remained outside in deserted places, and people kept coming to him from everywhere.
Saint Mark 1,40-45.
-------------------
My reading notes:
-------------------
We do have sickness on earth. I can not explain this, though I could understand,
if there were no sickness, no evil, no bad things on earth, what would happened?
Bad things are necessary, and are part of the whole development.
Some were born with a difficult skin disease, and some were born with numerous
deflections. Actually, every single human being are born with some bad elements.
None of us are totally perfect without deflection. And we could die also.
The problems are: How are we to live through all these?
Can I live on with some or lots of deflection?
Now Jesus stretched out his hand.
What did Jesus give us?
A healing? may be. But on top of the healing, was Love.
Love is what Jesus had given us. He had brought love into the world.
With this special thinking power, we can handle ourselves and the
world properly.
A leper came to him (and kneeling down) begged him and said, "If you wish, you can make me clean." Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touched him, and said to him, "I do will it. Be made clean." The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean. Then, warning him sternly, he dismissed him at once. Then he said to him, "See that you tell no one anything, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them." The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter. He spread the report abroad so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly. He remained outside in deserted places, and people kept coming to him from everywhere.
Saint Mark 1,40-45.
-------------------
My reading notes:
-------------------
We do have sickness on earth. I can not explain this, though I could understand,
if there were no sickness, no evil, no bad things on earth, what would happened?
Bad things are necessary, and are part of the whole development.
Some were born with a difficult skin disease, and some were born with numerous
deflections. Actually, every single human being are born with some bad elements.
None of us are totally perfect without deflection. And we could die also.
The problems are: How are we to live through all these?
Can I live on with some or lots of deflection?
Now Jesus stretched out his hand.
What did Jesus give us?
A healing? may be. But on top of the healing, was Love.
Love is what Jesus had given us. He had brought love into the world.
With this special thinking power, we can handle ourselves and the
world properly.
2009年2月7日 星期六
He cured many who were sick
My Sunday Scripture 2009.2.8
On leaving the synagogue he entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John. Simon's mother-in-law lay sick with a fever. They immediately told him about her. He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up. Then the fever left her and she waited on them. When it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons. The whole town was gathered at the door. He cured many who were sick with various diseases, and he drove out many demons, not permitting them to speak because they knew him. Rising very early before dawn, he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed. Simon and those who were with him pursued him and on finding him said, "Everyone is looking for you." He told them, "Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also. For this purpose have I come." So he went into their synagogues, preaching and driving out demons throughout the whole of Galilee.
Saint Mark 1,29-39.
---------------
My Reading Notes:
---------------
May be this is the most difficult part for me to understand.
I can not stop thinking. What are the relations between the oridinary universal law
and miracle. In the cases of miracles, the oridinary laws are secondary.
Faith is always the first place, while the universal laws are secondary.
I used fisrt and second here to mean their difference. I never dare to
repudiate any one of them. Both the universal laws and miracles are
given to us through the Almighty God.
Though I do not understand this, I believe in faith. And I believe
that faith could do anything.....whether that is within or not within
the range of the universal laws. And one more thing, the universal laws
are also gifts from heaven, we are never to disregard them.
On leaving the synagogue he entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John. Simon's mother-in-law lay sick with a fever. They immediately told him about her. He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up. Then the fever left her and she waited on them. When it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons. The whole town was gathered at the door. He cured many who were sick with various diseases, and he drove out many demons, not permitting them to speak because they knew him. Rising very early before dawn, he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed. Simon and those who were with him pursued him and on finding him said, "Everyone is looking for you." He told them, "Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also. For this purpose have I come." So he went into their synagogues, preaching and driving out demons throughout the whole of Galilee.
Saint Mark 1,29-39.
---------------
My Reading Notes:
---------------
May be this is the most difficult part for me to understand.
I can not stop thinking. What are the relations between the oridinary universal law
and miracle. In the cases of miracles, the oridinary laws are secondary.
Faith is always the first place, while the universal laws are secondary.
I used fisrt and second here to mean their difference. I never dare to
repudiate any one of them. Both the universal laws and miracles are
given to us through the Almighty God.
Though I do not understand this, I believe in faith. And I believe
that faith could do anything.....whether that is within or not within
the range of the universal laws. And one more thing, the universal laws
are also gifts from heaven, we are never to disregard them.
2009年1月31日 星期六
evil spirits do exit
My Sunday Scripture 2009.2.1.
Then they came to Capernaum, and on the sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught. The people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes. In their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit; he cried out, "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are--the Holy One of God!" Jesus rebuked him and said, "Quiet! Come out of him!" The unclean spirit convulsed him and with a loud cry came out of him. All were amazed and asked one another, "What is this? A new teaching with authority. He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him." His fame spread everywhere throughout the whole region of Galilee.
Saint Mark 1,21-28.
---------------------
My Reading Notes:
---------------------
I can see that the evil spirit obeyed Jesus Christ.
And I can see that evil spirits do exit somewhere.
And sometimes they will dwell on people. In the Name
of Jesus Christ, the evil spirit could be driven out.
All we need is faith.
Then they came to Capernaum, and on the sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught. The people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes. In their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit; he cried out, "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are--the Holy One of God!" Jesus rebuked him and said, "Quiet! Come out of him!" The unclean spirit convulsed him and with a loud cry came out of him. All were amazed and asked one another, "What is this? A new teaching with authority. He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him." His fame spread everywhere throughout the whole region of Galilee.
Saint Mark 1,21-28.
---------------------
My Reading Notes:
---------------------
I can see that the evil spirit obeyed Jesus Christ.
And I can see that evil spirits do exit somewhere.
And sometimes they will dwell on people. In the Name
of Jesus Christ, the evil spirit could be driven out.
All we need is faith.
2009年1月24日 星期六
LIGHT is the issue
My Sunday Scripture 2009.1.25
After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God: This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel. As he passed by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea; they were fishermen. Jesus said to them, "Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men." Then they abandoned their nets and followed him. He walked along a little farther and saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They too were in a boat mending their nets. Then he called them. So they left their father Zebedee in the boat along with the hired men and followed him.
Saint Mark 1,14-20.
-------------------
My Reading Notes:
-------------------
I have been wondering how easy Jesus picked up his disciples. I used to thought to myself, that it will be great if I could also pick up people so easily. He just said, come after me, and people followed. What is happening in that split second? And why people can decide on such important matter so fast? How could you choose your way of life in a second?
May be this is the ultimate secret about mind functioning. If people are to decide on some thing, time is not the issue. Then what is the issue? I will say, LIGHT is the issue. Jesus has cast out light, and you take it, and you reflect on it. All it need is a split second, and things done.
And I will always ask myself: Have'nt I got the light?
Contact me, if you ever wished to discuss more.
After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God: This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel. As he passed by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea; they were fishermen. Jesus said to them, "Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men." Then they abandoned their nets and followed him. He walked along a little farther and saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They too were in a boat mending their nets. Then he called them. So they left their father Zebedee in the boat along with the hired men and followed him.
Saint Mark 1,14-20.
-------------------
My Reading Notes:
-------------------
I have been wondering how easy Jesus picked up his disciples. I used to thought to myself, that it will be great if I could also pick up people so easily. He just said, come after me, and people followed. What is happening in that split second? And why people can decide on such important matter so fast? How could you choose your way of life in a second?
May be this is the ultimate secret about mind functioning. If people are to decide on some thing, time is not the issue. Then what is the issue? I will say, LIGHT is the issue. Jesus has cast out light, and you take it, and you reflect on it. All it need is a split second, and things done.
And I will always ask myself: Have'nt I got the light?
Contact me, if you ever wished to discuss more.
2009年1月17日 星期六
What if the Messiah has not come
My Sunday Scripture 2009.1.18
The next day John was there again with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he said, "Behold, the Lamb of God." The two disciples heard what he said and followed Jesus. Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them, "What are you looking for?" They said to him, "Rabbi" (which translated means Teacher), "where are you staying?" He said to them,"Come, and you will see." So they went and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day. It was about four in the afternoon. Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two who heard John and followed Jesus. He first found his own brother Simon and told him, "We have found the Messiah" (which is translated Anointed). Then he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon the son of John; you will be called Kephas" (which is translated Peter).
Saint John 1,35-42
My reading notes:
It used to be a legend in the past that until oneday, the Messiah will come and save the world.
Some believe, and some doesnt.
Suppose Jesun has not come as the Messiah, what is going to happen on earth?
What is the Major Problem on earth?
What is that paticular problem, that if we could face that problem, and solve that problem, then all the other problems will be solved, and we will be saved?
The Major Problem on earth is Love. We do not know love it self. Not until Jesus,
love is a very unclear concept on earth. People do not love each other. People hate
each other. Never had any one thought of loving the enemies, and the neighbours.
It is Jesus who had brought the idea to us. And this is the only idea, that can save our world, and ourselves.
The next day John was there again with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he said, "Behold, the Lamb of God." The two disciples heard what he said and followed Jesus. Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them, "What are you looking for?" They said to him, "Rabbi" (which translated means Teacher), "where are you staying?" He said to them,"Come, and you will see." So they went and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day. It was about four in the afternoon. Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two who heard John and followed Jesus. He first found his own brother Simon and told him, "We have found the Messiah" (which is translated Anointed). Then he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon the son of John; you will be called Kephas" (which is translated Peter).
Saint John 1,35-42
My reading notes:
It used to be a legend in the past that until oneday, the Messiah will come and save the world.
Some believe, and some doesnt.
Suppose Jesun has not come as the Messiah, what is going to happen on earth?
What is the Major Problem on earth?
What is that paticular problem, that if we could face that problem, and solve that problem, then all the other problems will be solved, and we will be saved?
The Major Problem on earth is Love. We do not know love it self. Not until Jesus,
love is a very unclear concept on earth. People do not love each other. People hate
each other. Never had any one thought of loving the enemies, and the neighbours.
It is Jesus who had brought the idea to us. And this is the only idea, that can save our world, and ourselves.
2009年1月11日 星期日
He will baptise you with the holy Spirit
My Sunday Scripture 2009.1.11
I have baptized you with water, He will baptize you with the holy Spirit, (said John the Prophet)
----Saint Mark 1,7-11
-------------------------------------------------
My reading notes
We can say that, every thing has come to a change
after Christ had come to the world. John the Prophet had baptized the human beings with water, but after that, Jesus Christ baptized us with the holy Spirit.
The point is: do we have enough wisdom to handle the human affairs until now?
The channel for wisdom is opened. The remaining part is on our side.
I have baptized you with water, He will baptize you with the holy Spirit, (said John the Prophet)
----Saint Mark 1,7-11
-------------------------------------------------
My reading notes
We can say that, every thing has come to a change
after Christ had come to the world. John the Prophet had baptized the human beings with water, but after that, Jesus Christ baptized us with the holy Spirit.
The point is: do we have enough wisdom to handle the human affairs until now?
The channel for wisdom is opened. The remaining part is on our side.
2009年1月4日 星期日
How beautiful is the story
My Sunday Scripture 2009.1.4
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, "Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage." When King Herod heard this, he was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it has been written through the prophet: 'And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; since from you shall come a ruler, who is to shepherd my people Israel.'" Then Herod called the magi secretly and ascertained from them the time of the star's appearance. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search diligently for the child. When you have found him, bring me word, that I too may go and do him homage." After their audience with the king they set out. And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was. They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their country by another way.
Matthew 2,1-12.
--------------------
My Reading Notes:
In fact this is the most beautiful scene for every child.
How did the three wise men follow the star going to the place
where the young child was born? And How beautiful was the
moment when they offered three diffenent gifts to the child?
The question is why. Why do such beautiful scene could occur
to our childhood?
Yes. This is our inborn feeling, feeling that someone did had
come to our world. And the world is different from now on.
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, "Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage." When King Herod heard this, he was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it has been written through the prophet: 'And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; since from you shall come a ruler, who is to shepherd my people Israel.'" Then Herod called the magi secretly and ascertained from them the time of the star's appearance. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search diligently for the child. When you have found him, bring me word, that I too may go and do him homage." After their audience with the king they set out. And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was. They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their country by another way.
Matthew 2,1-12.
--------------------
My Reading Notes:
In fact this is the most beautiful scene for every child.
How did the three wise men follow the star going to the place
where the young child was born? And How beautiful was the
moment when they offered three diffenent gifts to the child?
The question is why. Why do such beautiful scene could occur
to our childhood?
Yes. This is our inborn feeling, feeling that someone did had
come to our world. And the world is different from now on.
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