There is a line in the Letter to the Hebrews which reads:
You made [Jesus] for a little while lower than the angels; you crowned him with glory and honor, subjecting all things under his feet.” In “subjecting” all things (to him), he left nothing not “subject to him.” Yet at present we do not see “all things subject to him,” but we do see Jesus “crowned with glory and honor” because he suffered death, (Heb 2:7-9)
Now this text is clear about two things. First, All things are subject to Jesus. Second, we do not presently see or experience that all things are subject to him. Why is this? Fundamentally it is because we experience grave injustice in this world and it seems to us that wickedness and evil are often triumphant. Our sufferings too can discourage us that God has any power at all. Such things do not seem to us to be subject to Christ. Yet the text is clear that all things are under his feet even if it does not seem so.
How can we claim that Christ is triumphant over all when things so often seem the opposite?
Come with me to the cross. The text says we DO see Jesus crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death. So, here we are at the foot of the cross. And what do we see? With our earthly eyes we see complete defeat, a total failure. Jesus who cured the sick, walked on water, and even raised the dead, is now himself dead on a cross. Our fleshly eyes see only failure, and a cruel joke. Can He who saved others not save himself? Satan has won; end of story.
Or is it? You know it is not the end of the story, for on Sunday he rose. So he did defeat Satan. But how? ….Through weakness….. Through death. Even in his “weakness” God is stronger than Satan’s mightiest power. And hence, though we look about this world and see God’s “weakness” we need to understand that even in his weakness he is defeating Satan. Indeed, his greatest works have emerged from the “weakness” of his Son. An old song, “El Shaddai” says,
-
- Through the years you made it clear,
- that the time of Christ was near,
- But couldn’t see what Messiah ought to be.
- And Though your word contained the plan,
- they just would not understand,
- Your most awesome work was done,
- through the frailty of your son.
We really Don’t know what we are talking about, our earthly eyes just can’t see it all. Thus the text from Hebrews makes it clear that all things are subject to him even though our earthly, eyes do not (will not) see it. Hence you and I may complain of God’s apparent weakness and question the apparent triumph of evil. But we really don’t know what we are talking about. It’s like standing at the foot of the Cross on Good Friday and proclaiming total failure. If we were there and did so we would really have no idea what we were saying. Even as we were saying it, the supposedly dead Jesus was down among the dead in Sheol awaking them and turning out the devil’s trophy room. While the Devil was running victory laps around the cross Jesus was robbing him blind of all his “trophies” (the dead) and preparing to open heaven for them who had long awaited him. All things are subject to Christ even if they don’t appear so.
Note this too, Jesus defeats pride by humility. The well known saying of Dr. Martin Luther King speaks to this necessity. “Darkness cannot drive our darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.” And I would add, Pride cannot drive out pride, only humility can do that. Thus Jesus conquers Satan’s pride (and ours) by an act of awesome humility. Sadly, to earthly and fleshly eyes, the humility of God seems to many as weakness. But it is not, it is an ingenious undermining of pride, such that pride can have no real answer or strategy to conquer it.
And for us who experience our own weakness, here too we know not what we say unless the wisdom of the Cross is applied to it. St. Paul said, For when I am weak, then I am strong (2 Cor 12:10). How are we strong? We are strong because in our weakness we learn to depend on God who is our true strength. Our greatest enemy is pride. Only our weakness can strip us of this pride so that God can use us and save us. At age forty, Moses was strong, in the prime of his life, educated, passionate and powerful. But he was too strong and in his pride he murdered a man. God couldn’t use him and so caused him to flee to the desert for purification. It took forty years. At age 80 Moses was stooped, leaned on a staff and stammered. Now he was weak enough for God to use him. At age 80, God said to Moses, “Go down Moses, tell Pharaoh to let my people go.” For when I am weak, then I am strong for then the power of God rests on me.
I like you have my crosses and suffering. A spiritual director once told me, “Thank God you’ve got them. Otherwise you’d be too proud to be saved and be heading right to hell. And even on your way God couldn’t use you.” Yes, even our weakness is subject to Christ and used mightily by him.
The Cross is a paradox and we must spend our lives learning to kneel before and heed its wisdom. Yet at present we do not see “all things subject to him,” but we do see Jesus “crowned with glory and honor” because he suffered death. God’s “weakness” is stronger than Satan’s power.
Thank you for yet another meaningful post. If not for my depression, I might be a real self-centered beeyotch. But I’m not quite grateful for this cross…depression is so hard!
Pray to St. Philip Neri for Joy. Also try Our Lady of Sorrows.
To Our Lady of Sorrows
O most holy Virgin, Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ: by the overwhelming grief you experienced when you witnessed the martyrdom, the crucifixion, and death of your divine Son, look upon me with eyes of compassion, and awaken in my heart a tender commiseration for those sufferings, as well as a sincere detestation of my sins, in order that being disengaged from all undue affection for the passing joys of this earth, I may sigh after the eternal Jerusalem, and that henceforward all my thoughts and all my actions may be directed towards this one most desirable object. Honor, glory, and love to our divine Lord Jesus, and to the holy and immaculate Mother of God. Amen.
What a beautiful prayer to Our Lady of Sorrows! This is a perfect prayer to help one resist the Black Friday madness.
Jennifer depression is a real illness. First you must be compliant with your appointments and your medications.
Sporadically taking your meds or missing doses can lead to symptoms breaking through and reactivating your illness. So it is very important to cooperate with your treatment plan. If you symptoms worsen or become life threatening to self or other you should go in for an evaluation for you meds may need adjustment. You should also make any lifestyle changes and by removing those triggers (for example illicit drug use or alcohol) that can aggravate your ilnness. The methods of treatments for depression or any illness is limited to the body only…nothing in the medical community or pharmacies or hospitals can treat the soul. If you are catholic I would go to healing masses, do an hour of visiting Eucharistic adoration, stop missing mass on Sundays, participate frequently in the sacrament of Confession, receive the sacrament of the sick regularly, volunteer in community services serving others to redirect the focus on oneself, on bad days specifically unite your sufferings to the cross with intentions to convert sinners, repair sins, or save souls, you can ask the Lord to remove this suffering but if it is His will to carry the cross of depression today I pray that this cross of unhappiness today gain happiness for those couples suffering in a diificult marriage, say your rosaries daily…like the pope says look at each bead and prayer as a pill of grace that heals, lastly pray for patience to help you in crarrying your cross of depression with love, the same love that Christ used in carrying His Cross. You have the power Jennifer to draw much good from the difficulties in your sufferings of depression. Do not give up your hope, the promise of the good to come, do not give up your faith that sees beyond the visible that the victory won by Christ isn’t going
anywhere and is your to have, do not give up on love which conquers all things of yourself and the love that God has for you.
I am a nurse for 43 years and I never treat my patients like that. Sorry to say but I feel your answer to Jennifer as pretty harsh. There is so much misery and lack of love in this world. I’m disgusted with all the pills they shove thru the throat of the mentally suffering patients = I rather call it suffering in the deepest of the soul = I’ve seen patients change by treating them with love, compassion and spiritual advice (not preaching but bringing God’s Love to them in the way you approach them). Step by step, drop by drop, they need to grow in understanding.
Just pray for Jennifer and pray for yourself that God might spare you from going thru what Jennifer goes or went thru.
God is Love. Take courage Jennifer, we’ll support you in our prayers and we’ll offer our hardships so God light bring you solace. Rita
Opinion: Belgium’s experience with euthanasia teaches bitter lessons
BY TOM MORTIER, SPECIAL TO THE GAZETTE DECEMBER 5, 2013
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STORYPHOTOS ( 1 )
Opinion: Belgium’s experience with euthanasia teaches bitter lessons
Chronic depression sufferer Godelieva De Troyer in 2010, almost two years before she was euthanized: Her lethal injection came as a shock to her son Tom Mortier, who only learned about it a day later.
ROTSELAAR, BELGIUM — I believe that before Quebec passes its own legislation to legalize euthanasia, it needs to take a good look at Belgium, which last week took legal steps to extend euthanasia to children. After all, my country has more than 10 years of experience.
In 2002, when euthanasia was legalized, it was said that it would only be performed in very rare circumstances. We were supposed to have had all the safeguards. Two doctors were to agree, and if the patient was not terminally ill, a third doctor would be consulted, a psychiatrist. A month was to pass between the written request for euthanasia and the lethal injection.
However, 10 years and 8,000 deaths later, these rules are being ignored and euthanasia is out of control. On Wednesday of last week, a parliamentary committee voted to remove age restrictions on euthanasia, and so the proposal to extend it to children with incurable diseases is now headed for a vote in the full Parliament.
The leading euthanasia doctor in Belgium, oncologist Wim Distelmans, received international media attention last December when 45-year-old deaf identical twins under his “medical guidance,” who were gradually were going blind, were killed. The twins thought that they had nothing to live for, and had asked for euthanasia.
Then Distelmans killed 44-year-old Nathan Verhelst, a transgender person who was born as Nancy. On Belgian radio, Distelmans said that his patient met “all” conditions of the euthanasia law. But physically, Nathan was not terminally ill, or even ill at all, but was suffering mentally.
Distelmans acknowledged that it is not exceptional for mentally-ill patients to be euthanized. He ought to know: He is the chairman of the Belgian Euthanasia Control and Evaluation Commission (Belgian Commission).
In fact, Distelmans gave my own mother a lethal injection on April 19, 2012 — because she had chronic depression. Her departure wasn’t the serene family gathering, full of peace and reconciliation, which euthanasia supporters gush about.
The University Hospital in Brussels phoned my wife the day after.
It was the first we had heard of it.
My mother died without her closest family at her bedside.
The business of “consultation” is a sham. Yes, on the one hand, another doctor has to be asked for advice. But no, the euthanizing doctor does not have to heed the advice.
All you need to do is find yourself a euthanasia doctor who is willing to kill you.
Distelmans constantly propagates his ideology in the Belgian media. He has even started his own ideological association, Leif, to train other doctors. Furthermore, his organization recently gave a retired Belgian Senator and pro-euthanasia activist, Jacinta De Roeck, a “lifetime achievement award.”
Whether or not a person approves of the concept of euthanasia, most would insist that if it is legal, it must be carefully controlled. If this isn’t possible, it must not be legalized in the first place. It is too dangerous. Innocent people will die.
Belgium’s experience clearly demonstrates that controls and safeguards are not possible. Despite all the assurances they gave to the public, the government appointed Distelmans, the leading propagandist for euthanasia in Belgium, to chair the commissions that decide whether euthanasia cases have been carried out in accordance with the law. He has been in that position for all the time that the law has been in effect. And so everything we know about Belgian euthanasia flows through the hands of its leading practitioner. Can a man who is judge, jury and executioner be expected to tell the world about the defects in his euthanasia empire?
If we have learned anything in Belgium, it is that euthanasia is an open bar that gives an illusion of safeguards and controls. It promises autonomy and self-determination. In fact, euthanasia gives all the power to the doctors. Patients are at the receiving end of the lethal injection.
A bill to introduce “assisted death” in Quebec is currently before the National Assembly in Quebec City. Although the bill has received approval in principle, it still hasn’t been officially been passed into law. Quebecers should demand that the bill be abandoned.
Tom Mortier is a lecturer in chemistry at Leuven University College in Leuven, Belgium. He lives in nearby Rotselaar, Belgium.
© Copyright (c) The Montreal Gazette
JESUS IS THE MEDIATOR , Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, and Comforter. MARY IS THE SYMBOL OF THE CHURCH
1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and there is ONE MEDIATOR between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all.
Hebrews 12:24 to JESUS THE MEDIATOR of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
Hebrews 9:15 For this reason CHRIST IS THE MEDIATOR of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.
1 John 2:1 My little children, I write these things to you so that you may not sin. If anyone sins, we have a Counselor [Greek Parakleton: Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, and Comfortor.] with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous.
John 14:16-17 I will pray to the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, [Greek Parakleton: Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, and Comfortor.] that he may be with you forever,- the Spirit of truth, whom the world can’t receive; for it doesn’t see him, neither knows him. You know him, for he lives with you, and will be in you.
John 14:26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and will remind you of all that I said to you.
John 15:26 When the Counselor [Greek Parakletos: Counselor, Helper, Advocate, Intercessor, and Comforter.] has come, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will testify about me.
John 16:13 However when he, the Spirit of truth, has come, he will guide you into all truth, for he will not speak from himself; but whatever he hears, he will speak. He will declare to you things that are coming.
Romans 8:26-27
26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us[a] with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
Learn to live from Mary! She asked you to obey and listen to her son Jesus! Focus on Jesus, not Mary
If there is one mediator in the absolute sense you say then you ought never again to ask ANYONE to pray for you. Neither should you attend any church, read any book, listen to any sermon or even read the Bible (since the Bible mediates Jesus words to you). No, there is ONE mediator – so now that you are plugged into Jesus there is no need to ask ANYONE or ANYTHING to mediate. So burn your Bible, stop asking anyone to pray for you, seek no advice, NO ONE can mediate a single thing to you Gerry, No One because there is ONE mediator. Got that, ONE! Further you must cease and desist from trying mediate anything, like Jesus’ words or his will to others because you are trying to mediate. But Gerry, there is only ONE mediator! How dare you try and get between Jesus and anyone else, there is ONE, absolutely only ONE mediator.
As for me, I will go one praying for you and others because I see that there is a subordinated mediatorship in service of Christ’s supreme mediatorship. And just like the Bible can mediate his presence, so to the prayers of others, including the Saints can mediate my prayers to his, and He can mediate my prayers to the Father. Jesus has one body and all the parts are connected through the Head, Jesus, just as all the members of my body have communion and unity. So I love in the Body, and just as I can tap someone’s should to get their attention, or get that attention through their ears, so too do I confidently expect to reach Jesus through his members.
(By the way, since Jesus’ body is the Church, this makes Mary Mother of the Church, not just a symbol of it, since she is the Mother of Jesus and he is the head of the Body, the Church. And when she told us to “Do whatever he tells you” I am not sure if you recall, but she was interceding with Jesus on behalf of a couple).
But as for you Gerry, in your absolute ONE notion of interpretation, as for you: say nothing, hear nothing, interact with no one, depend on no one, live in a closed “me and Jesus” circle and shut absolutely everyone and everything else out, including the Bible, for there is ONE MEDIATOR – no one and nothing can mediate Jesus to you.
Are you really so sure you want to insist on ONE Mediator being an absolute world of one and thereby reject any subordinate mediators? If so, even by hitting “REPLY” and interacting with me in any way, you violate your rule for the reasons stated. If I and 1.2 Billion Catholics need correction on this or anything, Jesus will take care of it, because there is one, and absolutely only ONE MEDIATOR. You have no role because you interfere and seek to mediate a word of correction from Jesus.
To Jennifer, I’ll pray for you girl, our times are very hard for the ones belonging to the Lord.
HOLY WEEK APRIL 2009
Many a word has never been spoken
but in the silence of my heart
Many a battle has never been fought
but on the battlefield of my soul
Many a tear has never been dried
but by the dryness I feel in myself
Many a cry has never been heard
but by the One Who hears and consoles
Rita Biesemans, written in Holy Week 2009
AT THE FOOT OF THE CROSS
O Mary, your bitter tears
my heart do pierce
Our Mother is crying
Her Son is dying
to save us humanity
from complete insanity.
At the foot of the Cross
for words I feel at a loss
our sins are causing You distress
I’m begging You for forgiveness
I offer You my fears and mishap
crawling on Your Mother’s lap
O my Jesus, I need You, I need You
satan plans coup after coup
to destroy me, hoping I’d revolt
he scares me like a thunderbolt
but while walking in Your footstep
on satan’s knuckles I will rap
enough, enough, I do tell him
the cup is stored unto the brim.
Kneeling at His cross’s foot
Jesus tells me to stay put
“Let My Graces thee overflow
My Cross gave satan the final blow”
I love you so much My child
and while dying He even smiled.
Thank You, Mary for this gift,
and by this my soul did lift.
Rita Biesemans, Good Friday 3/29/2013
Hi Jennifer,
Depression is a cross that I suffer too. I was told to look at depression as a gift and to offer it to the Lord. So daily this I do at the same time thanking God for His mercy and love. God bless you.
Father you are such a piece of daily bread! You made my morning glorifying our GOD more meaningful. Amen!
My prayers are with you father,
Jun alonzo-manila,philippines
”We really Don’t know what we are talking about, our earthly eyes just can’t see it all.” Indeed!
I believe that the cross cannot be comprehended apart from faith in obedience AND resurrection.
As St. Paul hints, ‘if for this life only we have hope in Christ, then we are of all men most miserable ‘ (I Cor 15:19).
It IS miserable when things go poorly; we shouldn’t pretend otherwise. Jesus didn’t; he still sweated blood, with sighs and groans. He ENDURED the cross, despising the shame.
But it is MORE true at the same time that the almighty God will draw deeper good from the difficult event or condition. The suffering is real, but God’s power and plan is MORE real!
Thus it is hard but necessary to believe; otherwise we will be miserable as Paul suggests.
I often think of Paul’s analogies of how athletes train hard or farmers work for their harvest – that humans willingly inflict difficulty on self in order to attain a greater good. Yet when life and God do it (without consulting us!), we aren’t too keen on it. But the principle remains the same. There is no gold without the refiner’s fire.
^^^^^^^^^^^
Understanding the cross is a great hurdle, needing God’s grace. Just as dogs can look at a road-sign and only see a metal post without grasping its meaning, we can see but not comprehend.
For my part, there are some days where I do comprehend like Jesus, while on others I only see like a dog. Thanks for this post that gave me a morning of comprehending.
What a wonderful point. I also think it reflects how we do not know what miracles God is working even through our seeming failures. My priest mentions this. He says you have to let go of the outcome, and not get wrapped up in your success. As a parent, I think this speaks directly to my soul. At some point I have to let my children go, and even if they do not seem to have faith, I need to trust that God is working.
“beeyotch”
Watch your language, Jen.
Don’t be a self-righteous nitpicker; give Jen a break. She says a lot in those few words. And she could have just spelled the word correctly, too, but she didn’t. God Bless you Jennifer – Keep the Faith; I, too, know sometimes it can be tough. I often have to say, “Lord I believe. Help my unbelief.” (Mk 9:24). Believing can be tough, trusting at times even tougher.
AMEN TO THAT ALBERT
JESUS AND HIS LITTLE LAMB
My precious little lamb
feel the beating of My Heart
full of love, this ain’t no spam
I will never let you fall apart
I love you, My little one, always
I hold you so close in My arms
I will never abandon you, no delays
I ask you don’t push the panic alarms
I have always been with you
surrender your emotions to Me
continue to live in My angle of view
all will be well, listen to My plea
Be at peace, My daughter
I repeat that all IS well
I’m not asking you to slaughter
the lamb in you, this idea I do repel
NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR YOUR GOD
Rita Biesemans, October 14 2013
“To shame our sins He blushed in blood;
He closed His eyes to show us God;
Let all the world fall down and know
That none but God such love can show”
-Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, “Jesu Dulcis Memoria”
“Thank God you’ve got [crosses and suffering]. Otherwise you’d be too proud to be saved and be heading right to hell. And even on your way God couldn’t use you.”
That’s been an important lesson in my own return to the Faith from an addicted, self-centered existence. Bawl at Heaven though I might to be cured Right Now!, one of my surest routes to Hell would be (and has been) to try to treat God, if I treat Him at all, as if He were a handyman to be employed, paid and dismissed. Little wonder my spirituality was basically nowhere for most of my adult life.
What I need to pray for, it appears, is not a quick fix, but to gain the grace of a child of God and to trust in Him as my Father — and not just as a help in crisis, but as One present in every moment. Without that trust, I’m a practical pagan / atheist, headed straight back Hellward. Thanks be to God for His grace, not least through the patient spiritual direction He sends me.
M Y H E A V E N L Y T E A C H E R
Kneeling in front of You, My Heavenly Teacher
I try to attentively listen to Your Voice
I look at You smiling at Your little creature
who’s making not even the slightest noise
Nobody knows me better than You
I don’t have to utter a single word
still I’m telling You things You already knew
repeating myself, behaving as a loving bird
All of the sudden I hear You calling
trying to get my attention span back
drifting off from You, to me is appalling
but You are pulling me back on track
I’m looking at You in reverent prostration
picturing what You underwent and still undergo
to save our souls from eternal damnation
since most prefer to follow the turbulent flow
Just remember, My daughter, keep following Me
return when you went off the right path
I will always be there for you, My busy bee
I will help you to heal from the aftermath.
Remember what I taught you today, Your Heavenly Teacher.
Rita Biesemans, July 25 2013
Besides their general lack of comprehension of what Jesus was telling them before His crucifixion, I think another reason that the Apostles couldn’t believe the women who told them that Jesus had risen is that He suffered so much in the body that it must have appeared just impossible.
My Jesus my Lord depart from me for I am a sinful man. I am one with Peter, now I see where Peter was coming from
it is a nice article. Thank you.
There are two living persons whose reflective daily wisdom I rely on every morning …. Pope Francis and Msgr. Pope.
I,too struggle(daily) trying to “get” this. I beg God to show me his glory of all my sufferings. I need the eye’s to see, the ears to hear and a heart to understand. I pray and pray and pray and I try so hard to understand why God has sent me so many sufferings!I beg to have them used for the conversion of others. I just know I’m not Jesus and I can’t see how my sufferings are redeeming anyone or anything. Struggling with this….
THE GOOD SHEPHERD
Lord, carry us safely on Your shoulders
our feet hurt from the rocks and the boulders
the edgy stones, the thistles and the thorns
paved for us by coldhearted scorns
We feel total abandonment and rejection
we don’t feel any compassionate affection
we CRY OUT
L O U D
Father, why? Have You forsaken us ?
satan uses even his blunderbuss
to annihilate us, bringing us to despair
“he can’t touch you, not even a single hair !”
Offer Me all your troubles and pain
I will change it into eternal gain
not only for you, but for many in need
of conversion, salvation, waiting to be freed
I see everything, I know everything about you
My children, I will never forsake you My beloved crew
but I need souls who willingly, freely sacrifice
and offer their sufferings so souls can win the prize
Take courage, My little ones, it’s only a short time
I love you, I love you, You are so much Mine
Your Father will NEVER abandon you, NEVER EVER
especially NOT in these times of dangerous stormy weather.
I love you so much, Your Jesus.
Rita Biesemans, written after Eucharistic Adoration and a waterfall of tears
September 28 2012
ELI ELI LAMA SABACHTANI
Eli Eli
lama sabachtani !
Is that what you think, My child ?
calm down, trust Me, don’t be riled
I am always at your side,
don’t forget, also for you I died.
The world makes a lot of noise
those who don’t follow, it gladly destroys.
I work in silence to open the doors
I will provide you the perfect oars
to steer your boat in My direction
which will request a lot of circumspection.
For you I don’t set exorbitant expectations
nor turn away when I see your frustrations
I never promised you life would be easy
more often than not it can be very cheesy.
Stay with Me, My child, don’t ever leave Me
I hold you tight each time you want to flee
you are so much Mine, I need you, I need you
when it’s difficult I pull you through.
I promised you the victory
which presently might seem contradictory
but know My child that GOD NEVER LIES
the way I will act will be a surprise.
Come rest at My Heart while My Love is mounting
and every hair on your head I have been counting.
Walk in My footsteps it’s your only security
to continue your life in innocence and purity.
This world is heading for total destruction
’cause it surrendered to the evil one’s seduction.
Offer Me all your doubts and hardships
and I will turn them into Divine Worships.
I wait for you, My daughter
to refresh your soul with My Salvation Water.
Your Jesus, Your Lord and Savior who loves you more than you can imagine.
Rita Biesemans June 17th 2013
Reading 1Peter 5:10-11 is helpful, ‘And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the power, forever and forever. Amen.
+
THE ATTACK ON CHRISTMAS
After 2000 years a new Herod
tries to kill baby Jesus again
he doesn’t just sit there on his tod
he arrogantly comes out of his den
No more “Merry Christmas”
only “enjoy”, “Happy Holidays”
no more allowed to witness
no more allowed to praise
An old man, they call “Santa”
supersedes the Holiness of “The Child”
dressed in a fluffy red “manta”
he domineers and Jesus is reviled
No more public “Mangers” allowed
only most fancy “Holiday” trees
in front of which heads are bowed
asking the tree the world to appease
Oh, my Jesus, please don’t delay
Your coming “on the clouds”
so that all of us this Christmas day
may testify to the crowds.
Rita Biesemans December 2 2013