Greetings and best wishes from Pilgrim Presbyterian Church in Vinita, Oklahoma.
Generally speaking there are few things that are either good or bad in themselves. Things derive their power to curse or to bless from how we use them.
When I think of the Church I tend to think of all the good it does. Yet, I am aware that through the ages people in the Church, and in all religions, have been a cause for cruelty and violence as well as for immeasurable good.
It is sad to think how religious extremists today are fostering hate and intolerance in the world, and in our nation. Didn't Jesus show us in the parable of the Good Samaritan (luke 10:25-37) how to act toward one another?
Be careful and avoid all forms of religious extremism! None of us has us has exclusive knowledge of the mind of God.
Thanks for visiting our BLOG today.
www.pilgrimpresbyterian.blogspot.com
In friendship,
Richard
Showing posts with label Good Samaritans. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Good Samaritans. Show all posts
Monday, April 4, 2011
Sunday, November 2, 2008
2008.11.03 Monday Morning!
Top of the morning from Pilgrim Presbyterian Church, 125 years young, and still sending Christ's message to a post-Christian world! We'll be celebrating our past with an eye to serving our Lord and Master Sunday next - November 9 - beginning with worship at 10:00 a.m. If you can't attend, please send an email greeting. The congregation will be delighted to hear from you!
Everyone has a story to tell, but it was Jesus who was the Master storyteller. His teaching arose out of real life situations, and were used to evoke a response. Perhaps his story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:29-37) is his most popular and best known of the 50-60 stories recorded in the New Testament.
The Good Samaritan had this view of Life: "What is mine, is mine, I'll share it." That is amazing, considering the bad blood that existed between ancient Jews and Samaritans.
When a traveler was robbed and left half dead on the roadside, a passing Priest ignored the victim. However, the despised Samaritan stopped to help. The message is clear - while we may not like people of different nations, cultures and languages, or people in our own country who are different in color, speech and beliefs from us - we are all God's children.
Jesus calls his followers to unite and assume renewed responsibility for the peace and well-being of all.
We can't change the world, but with civility and decency we can respect those who are different from us, and we can show acts of kindness and infectious cheer. It's surprising how gifts of small acts, of mercy, "are twice blessed". And often the giver is helped more than the receiver. Giving gives meaning to existence!
What's mine is mine, and I'll share it. It's no wonder we call that Samaritan "Good".
Cheers,
Richard
Everyone has a story to tell, but it was Jesus who was the Master storyteller. His teaching arose out of real life situations, and were used to evoke a response. Perhaps his story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:29-37) is his most popular and best known of the 50-60 stories recorded in the New Testament.
The Good Samaritan had this view of Life: "What is mine, is mine, I'll share it." That is amazing, considering the bad blood that existed between ancient Jews and Samaritans.
When a traveler was robbed and left half dead on the roadside, a passing Priest ignored the victim. However, the despised Samaritan stopped to help. The message is clear - while we may not like people of different nations, cultures and languages, or people in our own country who are different in color, speech and beliefs from us - we are all God's children.
Jesus calls his followers to unite and assume renewed responsibility for the peace and well-being of all.
We can't change the world, but with civility and decency we can respect those who are different from us, and we can show acts of kindness and infectious cheer. It's surprising how gifts of small acts, of mercy, "are twice blessed". And often the giver is helped more than the receiver. Giving gives meaning to existence!
What's mine is mine, and I'll share it. It's no wonder we call that Samaritan "Good".
Cheers,
Richard
Sunday, October 26, 2008
2008.10.27 Monday Morning!
Top of the morning from Pilgrim Presbyterian Church, located in the heart of Vinita, Oklahoma. We want to "keep in touch" with the Pilgrims past and present, living far and near. We are celebrating the 125th anniversary of the founding of the Church on Sunday, November 9. You'll get a letter about planned events, and be sure to attend, if at all possible. If you cannot attend, please send an email greeting.
In the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), we meet a Priest who ignored a badly injured man lying on the roadside. His view of life: "What's mine, I'll keep it." The Priest had no time or concern to share.
This attitude reminds me of a classic story which Dostoevsky wrote about a woman who died and went to hell. In her agony, she cried for help. At length, an angel answered: "I can help if you remember one altogether unselfish thing you did on earth." Finally, the woman remembered a withered carrot she had once given to a beggar. Checking the record, the angel confirmed that this was an unselfish act.
So down the limitless space which separated heaven from hell was lowered a withered carrot on a slender string. It did not seem that it could bear her weight and lift her out of torment. She grasped the carrot and slowly began to rise. Then she felt a weight dragging her. She looked down and saw others clinging to her, hoping to escape torment. "Let go", she cried, "the carrot won't hold us all." But they held on and again she cried, "Let go, this is my carrot." And at that point the string broke, and she fell back into the pains of hell.
That sums up the fate of anyone who lives with the view "What's mine, I'll keep it."
Peace,
Richard
In the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), we meet a Priest who ignored a badly injured man lying on the roadside. His view of life: "What's mine, I'll keep it." The Priest had no time or concern to share.
This attitude reminds me of a classic story which Dostoevsky wrote about a woman who died and went to hell. In her agony, she cried for help. At length, an angel answered: "I can help if you remember one altogether unselfish thing you did on earth." Finally, the woman remembered a withered carrot she had once given to a beggar. Checking the record, the angel confirmed that this was an unselfish act.
So down the limitless space which separated heaven from hell was lowered a withered carrot on a slender string. It did not seem that it could bear her weight and lift her out of torment. She grasped the carrot and slowly began to rise. Then she felt a weight dragging her. She looked down and saw others clinging to her, hoping to escape torment. "Let go", she cried, "the carrot won't hold us all." But they held on and again she cried, "Let go, this is my carrot." And at that point the string broke, and she fell back into the pains of hell.
That sums up the fate of anyone who lives with the view "What's mine, I'll keep it."
Peace,
Richard
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)