Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-
Service of Reconciliation in The Great Lent
Matthew 5:21-27
 VS. 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift.
 We begin our journey with the Service of Great Lent where we are reminded that we live in sin which originated from the garden of Eden.  Our sins have turned us away from the glory of our Lord.  As our Bible portion teaches us that the first step in the Great Lent is forgiveness. The Lord forgives us, and His forgiveness is in Christ, His Son, whom He sent to us so that we may share in His love and truly be reconciled with God.  It is the renewal and growth of this love that we seek in the Great Lent through fasting and prayer. Fasting is a way of the spiritual (not physical) renewal of man in the return to God's glory.
 There was a famous American named, Louis Zamerini, who ran in the Berlin Olympics and then soon afterwards went to serve in World War II.  During World War II, his military aircraft failed and Louis and his crew members fell right in the middle of the Pacific Ocean with no where to go. At this point in time, thinking that he did not survive in the ocean, President Franklin D. Roosevelt  had provided his condolence to Louis's parents in 1944.  However, Louis and his crew survived for 47 days amidst hungry sharks in the ocean only to be captured by the enemy, the Japanese. While in captivity for nearly two years, Louis was specifically tortured and humiliated by a certain Japanese military man who did not particularly like him. Louis was finally released by the Japanese government and returned to the United States. After his release, Louis led a sinful life until he met the Lord during a Billy Graham crusade. Louis remembered that he dropped to his knees for the first time in his life and humbled himself before the Lord.  Louis later returned back to Japan in 1950 to forgive his captors for what they had done to him. Louis died in July 2014  and left behind a lesson in forgiveness.
Let us begin the Great Lent season as the day in which we acquire the power to make true fasting and begin our reconciliation with the Lord.
PRAYER
Dear Heavenly Father, As we begin this journey in the Great Lent Season, we ask for Your Light in the  darkness that surrounds us. Amen
 THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
  "So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and fasting. I also wore rough burlap and sprinkled myself with ashes."  Daniel 9:3
Jason M Thomas, St. Peter's MTC, Teaneck, NJ
Christian Education Forum, Diocese of NAE of the Mar Thoma Church

Popular posts from this blog

Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-
  Constant, patient and welcoming love of God   St. Luke 15: 11-32  V.21: And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ The parable of the ‘Prodigal son’ is one of the most frequently quoted parables that Jesus told His disciples. The parable contains the rich mine of human virtues and emotions. This parable is lived and re-lived in progressing civilizations from time immemorial and continuing. It brings out in vivid detail the pathetic depth of human sinfulness and the glorious heights of God’s forgiveness.      As a story of human nature, fathers are generally merciful to their children in any circumstance. They are very protective and are eager to provide for and secure the lives of their offspring. Jesus is telling this parable to underscore the superlative love of God to His children. The nature of such love is reiterated by Jesus in Matthew 7:11. Humankind wh...
Read more

Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-
Revelation for Liberation Acts 27:18-26 Sherine Thomas Long Island MTC, NY 20  When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest raged, all hope of our being saved was at last abandoned. “After winter comes the summer.  After night comes the dawn.  And after every storm, there comes clear open skies” so said a Scottish clergyman from the 1600s. It’s been said, that hope can sometimes be the most dangerous weapon.  However, it’s sometimes the hardest weapon to carry when you’re living with the loss of a loved one, something that almost feels like a terrible nightmare that’ll never go away.  It’s a weapon difficult to carry when day in and day out no one seems to hear or see those tears that are shed or silent cries that are made during a heartfelt prayer. It’s a weapon difficult to carry as you see your loved one lying on that hospital bed.  It’s a weapon difficult to carry as you search and seek out answers to tel...
Read more

Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-
PRIESTHOOD: THE ANOINTED MINISTRY Exodus 40:12-16 Bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting... wash them with water. Then dress Aaron in the sacred garments, anoint him and consecrate him so he may serve me as priest (Exodus 40: 12-13). Priesthood among the people of God was a divine command and initiation. God wanted some people to be separated for the special ministry among his people. God appointed Aaron and his descendants to take up this kind of ministry among the people of God. Priests are always separated and appointed as channels that connect God with his people. All throughout the history of Israel, priests played an important role in connecting people with God and to lead and guide them in the statutes of God. But there are incidents in the Bible where the priests failed in their duties and that led the people to go away from God. So the priests have a special and significant ministry to perform in this world among his people. Two important things...
Read more