Some more of the readings 4 2day (Sat 17 Nov):
Luke 18: 1-8 (Prayer and the Parable of the Persistent Widow)
Then Jesus told them a parable to show them they should always pray and not lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected people. There was also a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ For a while he refused, but later on he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor have regard for people, yet because this widow keeps on bothering me, I will give her justice, or in the end she will wear me out by her unending pleas.’” And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unrighteous judge says! Won’t God give justice to his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he delay long to help them? I tell you, he will give them justice speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”
Wisdom 18: 14-16, 19: 6-9
For while all things were in quiet silence and night in the midst of her swift course your Almighty judgment sped from your royal throne in heaven, as a fierce man of war into the midst of a land of destruction, and brought your firm commandment as a sharp sword, and standing up filled all things with death; and standing on the earth, reached even to heaven.
...For the universe was fashioned again as from the beginning, obeying your commandments, that your children might be kept without hurt. For a cloud overshadowed their camps; and where water was before, dry land appeared; and out of the Red Sea appeared a way without hindrance, and out of the violent stream a green field; through which all the nation passed while defended by your hand, seeing your miracles and wonders. They fed on their food like horses, and they skipped like lambs, praising you, O Lord, who had delivered them.
Saturday, 17 November 2007
Friday, 16 November 2007
Today's Readings
More of today's readings (Fri 16 Nov)
Luke 17: 26-37
Just as it was in the days of Noah, so too it will be in the days of the Son of Man. People were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage – right up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot, people were eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, building; but on the day Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. It will be the same on the day the Son of Man is revealed. On that day, anyone who is on the roof, with his goods in the house, must not come down to take them away, and likewise the person in the field must not turn back. Remember Lot’s wife! Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will preserve it. I tell you, in that night there will be two people in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. There will be two women grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left.” Then the disciples said to him, “Where, Lord?” He replied to them, “Where the dead body is, there the vultures will gather.”
Wisdom 13: 1-9
But all men are vain, in whom there is not the knowledge of God, and could not out of the good things that are seen know Him that is: neither by considering the works did they acknowledge the Workmaster; but deemed either fire, or wind, or the swift air, or the circle of the stars, or the violent water, or the lights of heaven, to be the gods which govern the world. Let them know how much better the Lord of these beautiful and delightful things is: for the first Author of beauty had created them. If men were astonished at the power and virtue of these things, let them understand how much mightier He is that made them. For by the greatness of the beauty and of the creature, the creator of them may be seen and known. But yet as to these they are less to be blamed. For they perhaps err, seeking God, and desirous to find him. For being conversant in his works they search him diligently, and believe their sight: because the things are beautiful that are seen. But then again they are not to be pardoned. For if they were able to know so much that they could aim at the world, how did they not sooner find out the Lord who created it?
P.S. This reminds me of something I read about the difference between cats and dogs:
Dog- This man feeds me, houses me and loves me: he must be God!
Cat- This man feeds me, houses me and loves me: I must be God!
Aren't we human beings the same? Either we put Nature above us or under our feet (i.e. treat Nature as a god or consider ourselves possessing godly authority over Nature)
Luke 17: 26-37
Just as it was in the days of Noah, so too it will be in the days of the Son of Man. People were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage – right up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot, people were eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, building; but on the day Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. It will be the same on the day the Son of Man is revealed. On that day, anyone who is on the roof, with his goods in the house, must not come down to take them away, and likewise the person in the field must not turn back. Remember Lot’s wife! Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will preserve it. I tell you, in that night there will be two people in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. There will be two women grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left.” Then the disciples said to him, “Where, Lord?” He replied to them, “Where the dead body is, there the vultures will gather.”
Wisdom 13: 1-9
But all men are vain, in whom there is not the knowledge of God, and could not out of the good things that are seen know Him that is: neither by considering the works did they acknowledge the Workmaster; but deemed either fire, or wind, or the swift air, or the circle of the stars, or the violent water, or the lights of heaven, to be the gods which govern the world. Let them know how much better the Lord of these beautiful and delightful things is: for the first Author of beauty had created them. If men were astonished at the power and virtue of these things, let them understand how much mightier He is that made them. For by the greatness of the beauty and of the creature, the creator of them may be seen and known. But yet as to these they are less to be blamed. For they perhaps err, seeking God, and desirous to find him. For being conversant in his works they search him diligently, and believe their sight: because the things are beautiful that are seen. But then again they are not to be pardoned. For if they were able to know so much that they could aim at the world, how did they not sooner find out the Lord who created it?
P.S. This reminds me of something I read about the difference between cats and dogs:
Dog- This man feeds me, houses me and loves me: he must be God!
Cat- This man feeds me, houses me and loves me: I must be God!
Aren't we human beings the same? Either we put Nature above us or under our feet (i.e. treat Nature as a god or consider ourselves possessing godly authority over Nature)
Thursday, 15 November 2007
Today's Readings
Today I didn't forget, for here are today's readings (Thu 15 Nov):
Luke 17: 20-25
Now at one point the Pharisees asked Jesus when the kingdom of God was coming, so he answered, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed, nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is in your midst.” Then he said to the disciples, “The days are coming when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. Then people will say to you, ‘Look, there he is!’ or ‘Look, here he is!’ Do not go out or chase after them. For just like the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day. But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.
Wisom 7:22 - 8:1
For wisdom, which is the worker of all things, taught me- in her is the spirit of understanding, holy, of one nature but reveals itself in many ways, not made of any material substance, moves about freely, clear, undefiled, sure, not subject to hurt, loving that which is good, quick and unconquerable, ready to do good, kind to man, steadfast, sure, free from care, having all power, overseeing all things, and containing all intelligent and pure spirits. For wisdom is more moving than any motion: she passes and goes through all things by reason of her pureness. For she is the breath of the power of God, and a pure influence flowing from the glory of the Almighty: therefore no defiled thing comes into her. For she is the brightness of the everlasting light, the unspotted mirror of the power of God, and the image of his goodness. And though she acts alone, she can do all things. She makes all things new, and in all ages entering into holy souls, making them friends of God and prophets. For God loves none but him that is at home with wisdom. She is more beautiful than the sun and all the constellations. She is better than light itself- for though night always follows day, evil shall not prevail against wisdom. Wisdom reaches into every part of the world mightily, and she sets all things in useful order.
Luke 17: 20-25
Now at one point the Pharisees asked Jesus when the kingdom of God was coming, so he answered, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed, nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is in your midst.” Then he said to the disciples, “The days are coming when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. Then people will say to you, ‘Look, there he is!’ or ‘Look, here he is!’ Do not go out or chase after them. For just like the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day. But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.
Wisom 7:22 - 8:1
For wisdom, which is the worker of all things, taught me- in her is the spirit of understanding, holy, of one nature but reveals itself in many ways, not made of any material substance, moves about freely, clear, undefiled, sure, not subject to hurt, loving that which is good, quick and unconquerable, ready to do good, kind to man, steadfast, sure, free from care, having all power, overseeing all things, and containing all intelligent and pure spirits. For wisdom is more moving than any motion: she passes and goes through all things by reason of her pureness. For she is the breath of the power of God, and a pure influence flowing from the glory of the Almighty: therefore no defiled thing comes into her. For she is the brightness of the everlasting light, the unspotted mirror of the power of God, and the image of his goodness. And though she acts alone, she can do all things. She makes all things new, and in all ages entering into holy souls, making them friends of God and prophets. For God loves none but him that is at home with wisdom. She is more beautiful than the sun and all the constellations. She is better than light itself- for though night always follows day, evil shall not prevail against wisdom. Wisdom reaches into every part of the world mightily, and she sets all things in useful order.
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