Reflections

   Sabbath leads to fullness of  Creation St. Luke 6: 1-10 Vs.5: Then Jesus said to them, "The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."    Sabbath which means 'to rest' is the fourth commandment given to the Israelites. The Gospel portion that we read today deals with the keeping of the Sabbath.  While the Pharisees were adept at keeping the Sabbath, they added interpretations and specific details with regard to the acts that were permitted and not permitted on the day of the Sabbath. For the Pharisees, observation of the Sabbath took the following forms: Sabbath was a form of legalism or external adherence to law to the extent of ignoring humanitarian considerations. Keeping the Sabbath became a source of pride for the Pharisees. Sabbath became a weapon to criticize and condemn others. Jesus poses three questions so that the Pharisees and those around him self-reflect on why Sabbath was given to man:   Is the Sabbath given to make ...

    SABBATH LEADS TO FULLNESS OF CREATION  Bible portion: Isaiah 65:17-25 V:25 Wolves and lambs will eat together, lions will eat straw as cattle do, and snakes will no longer be dangerous. On Zion, my sacred hill there will be nothing harmful or evil.   It was God's desire that Israel seeks him and enjoy his blessings, but instead, the nation rebelled against Him and stubbornly went their own way. Only a minority within Israel along with gentile nations who turned to Israel's God was really God's people. So God is going to create an entirely new heaven and earth. Everything that existed before will no longer be remembered by anyone. He will create the new Jerusalem as a place where joy and delight are the rules both for God and the people living in that city. Weeping and despair will come to an end. In chapter 65, we see God's anger at the rebellious people, who are wicked and abhorrent to God. The passage clearly talks a...

  SABBATH LEADS TO FULLNESS OF CREATION  Bible portion: Colossians  2:13-19 In Colossians  2:13-19 , Paul reminds us of the power and purpose of the Sabbath, and how it leads us to fullness of creation. He writes, "And when you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross." The Sabbath is a day of rest and renewal, a time to reflect on the grace and mercy of God. It is a reminder that all of creation was made for His glory, and that we are called to be stewards of that creation. As we rest and reflect on God's goodness, we are reminded of the fullness of life that He desires for us, and the peace and joy that comes from being in a relationship with Him. So let us embrace the Sabbath as a time to rest and recharge, to...

  SABBATH LEADS TO FULLNESS OF CREATION  Bible portion: Psalm 8: 1-9 Verse:9 O Lord our God, how majestic is your name in all the earth Psalm 8 is clearly trying to identify Jesus with humanity and humanity with Jesus. The Psalm begins and ends in high praise. Its tone throughout is wonder and surprise. God's majesty is split over the earth and displayed over the heavens. When we look upward and can look downward far beyond the earth, the heavens continue to spread out seemingly without end. The earth is full of God's glory if we look around it. The important message of this portion is His sovereignty over his creation. Everything is under His perfect control. No “big bang “theory can replace such a magnificent work of creation. It is nothing but the intelligent design of the creator God over the evolutionary theory. There is absolutely a master designer behind the universe. The uncorrupted, unbiased mind of a child would still...

  SABBATH LEADS TO FULLNESS OF CREATION  Bible portion: Proverbs 8:22-31 Vs 22-23:  “The Lord created me first of all, the first of his works, long ago I was made in the very beginning, at the first, before the world began”   In Genesis, we know how God finished the work of creation and rested on the seventh day. "God blessed the seventh day and made it holy because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.” (Genesis 2:3) In Exodus 16, we read about how God declared to the Israelites that the next day would be a Sabbath day and they were to gather manna and bake and boil what they needed to eat in advance, to prepare for a day of rest. The word sabbath comes from the Hebrew word šāḇaṯ meaning “to rest.” Sabbath represents the fulfillment of the creative work of God. Let us thank God for the amazing Creation of heaven and earth carried out by Him. As Psalmist says: "O Lord, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth!" (Ps.8:1-9). L...

  SABBATH LEADS TO FULLNESS OF CREATION  Bible portion:  Hebrews 4:1-11 iVerse: 7:  This is shown by the fact that  God sets another day, which is called “today” …...... If you hear God's voice today, do not be stubborn.”   This bible portion speaks about the rest God offers to his people. Rest means peace with God, enter into worship and service of God. It means the deliverence from  burden of mosaic observance. Rest means  freedom that God himself enjoys. God finished creation long before Israel or David,  and  the works were finished from the foundation of the world. God rested on the seventh day from all His works. This matter is spoken of again.  Those who heard the good news  first, did not enter that rest because they did not believe. God's work were truly finished including work of our salvation.            Now if we fail to rest in that finished work of Jesus Christ, turn to him and seek H...

  Jesus Christ who Heals St. Matthew 8:5-17 V.9: “The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed”   In this passage, a Roman Centurion requests Jesus’ help to heal his ill servant. Although Jesus offers to go to the centurion’s home and heal his servant in person, the centurion denies it.  The centurion instead states that all Jesus must do is “say the word” and his servant would be healed. Jesus is amazed at the centurion’s strong faith, going as far as to exclaim that nobody in Israel possesses such faith as the centurion. On the outside, the centurion represents someone who many would perceive incapable of receiving the blessing of Jesus Christ, given that the centurion was both Roman and gentile. However, Jesus admires the faithfulness the centurion possesses, irrespective of his appearance. This passage reminds us of two things. First, of Jesus’ unrelenting love, even for those who m...