AM Psalm 98, 99, [100] Isa. 66:1-2, 22-23; Rev. 3:14-22; John 9:1-12, 35-38

John

“As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” (John 9:5)

I have deceased family, my cousin Rip and my Dad, other family members and some close friends that have passed who I keep alive through mimicking their words and behaviors.  It delights me to do this.  They literally become a part of who I am.  And I like showing them off. People that didn’t know them just consider what they see in me as part of who I am, and they are correct, now.

In the same way the loving light of Jesus is with us in this world wherever and whenever we model His love in all situations. He is present when we sit with the lonely, visit the sick, give a ride to those who have no transportation, or buy a meal for the hungry.  All of these acts shine as the bright light of Christ. And soon enough, these aspects of Jesus truly become who we are. These are the acts that keep Jesus with us and lights up this otherwise dark world.  Thank you Jesus for your light shining in us and we becoming who you are.

Let us hear what the Spirit is saying to and through God’s people.

Aelred of Rievaulx:  Abbot (12 JANUARY 1167)

Psalm 36:5-10 Philippians 2:1-4 John 15:9–17

“O continue your steadfast love to those who know you,
   and your salvation to the upright of heart!” (Psalm 36: 10)

What I’m getting and sharing with you comes from James Keifer a noted writer of Anglican personalities.  About Aelred he shares that Aelred left his work as Master of the Household of the King of Scotland and joined the Cistercian monastery at Rievaulx in Yorkshire under the supervision of Bernard of Clairvaux in 1133 when Aelred was 24 years old.

The Cistercian Abby of which he was a member of forbid personal preference friendships.  They insisted on ever changing pairs of twos.  The Abby wanted its monks to see Christ in all persons. They were just as insistent about not having a preference about certain foods.

Against this view, Aelred wrote that it is compatible with the highest degree of Christian perfection to take special pleasure in the company of particular friends. He points out that we are told that Jesus loved John, and Mary, and Martha, and Lazarus, and that this probably means that he found their company congenial. 

I know that for myself, my friends have changed over the years; perhaps because I’ve changed over the years.  When I was a teenager I had some friends my dad did not approve of.  His words to me were, “Water seeks its own level.”  This has stayed with me for more than 50 years now.  I don’t think I knew what he meant when he first told me, but I soon figured out that “I am my friends.”  And, as we evolve, those we most want to identify with must also be where we are. This often means new friends. 

Water does seek its own level.  We are our friends.  Having preferred friends does not mean we do not love others.  We are made to be able to love all  people but there is still a close circle of what I like to call “frimly” or friends who are as close as family.  Jesus had John, Martha, Mary, and Lazarus.  He loved everybody but he had an inner circle of comfort.  And so should we.  And from time to time those people might change.  And I think that’s okay.

Let us hear what the Spirit is saying to and through God’s people.

AM Psalm 148, 150; PM Psalm 91, 92 Isa. 65:13-16; Rev. 3:7-13; John 6:15-27

From Psalm 148:1,2 and 10

1 Hallelujah!
Praise the Lord from the heavens; *
praise him in the heights.

2 Praise him, all you angels of his; *
praise him, all his host.

10 Wild beasts and all cattle, *
creeping things and winged birds;

We have a parishioner in our parish who is in touch with the natural order of life all around us.  She cares about all kinds of insects and other creatures that too many of us ignore but she cares about.  Once when some of us were discussing times when we were “ridding” ourselves of pesky snakes, she boldly interrupted and declared “Don’t Kill Snakes!” She spoke with such authority that I, for one, decided maybe our minds have been poisoned by the stories of the serpent in the Garden of Eden.

Our parishioner and people like the late Steve Erwin (Crocodile Hunter) cared about all God’s creatures especially reptiles.  And of course, God cares for them as I have come to realize.  So Psalm 148 also reminds us that all creatures great and small praise God.  And, except for the necessary use as a food source, all animals should go on living if only for that reason. For the Psalmist says that all praise the Lord, wild beasts and all cattle, creeping things [even snakes] and winged birds.

Let us hear what the Spirit is saying to and through God’s people.

From Isaiah:

“Then whoever invokes a blessing in the land shall bless by the God of faithfulness, and whoever takes an oath in the land shall swear by the God of faithfulness; because the former troubles are forgotten and are hidden from my sight.” (Isaiah 65:16)

In this verse in Isaiah 65 God is mentioned twice as “the God of faithfulness.”  It only stands to reason then that if we are created in God’s Image, then we are intended, by God, to be people of faith.  This particularly applies to blessings and oaths.

Often when I gather with family or friends around a meal I get anxious about saying the blessing.  It is always my hope that someone will at least suggest a blessing.  The reality is that when I see the first person reach for his or her fork I interrupt with “Let us pray.” And so it is a blessing in the land (albeit at the table) and I do bless the food by the God of faithfulness.  We often, maybe too often, think of faith as something we are suppose to have, not God. 

God does have faith, faith in us.  And even though we fail God often, God never gives up on us.  I’m glad that God is always faithful and forgiving.  I need forgiveness all the time.  I wish my faith was more like God’s faith.  I now think that in order to have faith like God’s faith I too must be more forgiving.  God always “restarts” with us.  May I can learn to restart with others, even when they forget to say their prayers.  As we say in the South, “God bless ‘em.”  

Let us hear what the Spirit is saying to and through God’s people.

From John 6

“Then they wanted to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the land towards which they were going.” (John 6:21 NRSV)

I think it is perhaps only in the NSRV translation and maybe a few others, that if we read closely we see that it was the desire of the people in the boat that got them through the storm. We never read that Jesus actually got into the boat.  It is assumed that he did (and I believe he did) and then they all got to where they were going.

Also, unlike the other Gospels, the storm is not made to stop, but their desire, or will, for Jesus to be with them got them through their troubled situation.  This is very important.  Our storms may not end.  But our desire for the presence of Jesus is what gets us through the storms of our lives.  We just need to “want” to take Jesus into our boat, and we get there. I love it!

Let us hear what the Spirit is saying to and through God’s people.

Daily Office Readings

AM Psalm 138, 139:1-17(18-23); PM Psalm 147
Isa. 65:1-9; Rev. 3:1-6; John 6:1-14

From Psalm 139: 3

“Indeed, there is not a word on my lips, but you, O Lord, know it altogether.”

Psalm 139 is another one of my favorite Psalms.  Its thrust is about how much God knows us and is acquainted with all our ways.  This first verse however kind of grabs me because it seems to suggest that God can, and does, go deeper than the word being formed in my mouth.

I am reminded that before I say it, I think it.  And God is there also. We have a prayer in the Episcopal Church that we say at the start of each service.  It is called the Collect for Purity and in part asks God to “cleanse the thoughts or our hearts by the inspiration of God’s Holy Spirit….”  I remind my listeners that we, in and of ourselves, are not able to cleanse our own hearts, we just can’t do it.  We must ask for God’s assistance.

We must ask for God’s assistance to stop thinking that jokes against another race, another gender, another sex, another nationality, another religion, another political party, is funny. But first folks, we must want it.  God knows the heart.  We can’t fool God.  We must ask in all sincerity. We must prayerfully craft words that really express our deepest desires.  And then use words that speak to God honestly. And please remember, “Indeed, there is not a word on my lips, but you, O Lord, know it altogether.”

Let us hear what the Spirit is saying to God’s people.

From a Revelation of Jesus Christ to John:

“If you conquer, you will be clothed like them in white robes, and I will not blot your name out of the book of life; I will confess your name before my Father and before his angels. Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.” (Rev.3:5 – 6)

I read this as an invitation to be like those faithful ones who have gone before us who held on tightly to their Christian principles no matter what.  Then, if we do this, we too will be honored in heaven. It seems God already has our names, our Christened names and the promise is that our names will not be blotted out.  In fact, they will be reported out among the host of heaven of the new arrivals when our time comes!  I pray I have the ear to listen to what the Spirit is saying to me.

Let us hear what the Spirit is saying to God’s people.

From John 6

“After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias.” (John 6:1)

There is nothing of great import here in the first verse of chapter six.  However when I read it I was reminded of my Holy Land visit in February of 2018.  We went out on a boat on the lake (so called Sea of Galilee) and it is from that boat that I took the picture posted at the top of my blogs.  It was a tranquil moment – a Holy Spirit moment.  From my vista I could see the three years of Jesus’ ministry.  We could see Nazareth, Magdala, Cana, and most important for me was Capernaum. This is also the water that Jesus was reported to have walked on.  Interestingly enough, this body of water is the lowest level of fresh water on the planet.  And this is where God decided to start the Christian ministry and story. I ponder what was God thinking and what else is special about this particular part of this biblically historic place?

Let us hear what the Spirit is saying to God’s people.

Today we remember William Laud Archbishop of Canterbury

Psalm 73:24-29) Hebrews 12:5-14  Matthew 10:32-39

“Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven.”  (Matt. 10:32)

Archbishop of Canterbury William Laud

William Laud was Archbishop of Canterbury during a difficult time in our church’s history.  He was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1633 to 1645 in the days of King Charles I.  He intentionally did things that he knew would upset the Puritans, a literal sect of Christianity.  He wore vestments and used candles at the Altar which he knew was troubling for a people who took the position that if it was not in the Bible, then it should not be done.

Our early, and present church did retain liturgical customs and traditions from the Roman Catholic Church.  While Laud valued these ecclesiastical practices he left no room in his heart for working with non-Anglicans and the Puritan way of holding church.  They, the Puritans, were no better and these rivalries often lead to violent confrontations and even death, including Laud.

Perhaps one of the ways we should acknowledge Jesus before others is to be tolerant of difference. Today most mainline faiths seek ways in which we can find common ground and live together in harmony.  However, I am not so naïve as to ignore the violence and hatred that takes place in our country today.  We have had acts of violence against synagogues, mosques and even different Christian faiths like Seventh Day Adventist, and Historically Black Churches many perpetrated by people self-proclaiming to be Christians.  Where is the Jesus in that?

Let us hear what the Spirit is saying to God’s people.

Daily Office Readings 

Psalm 121 : 1
” I lift up my eyes to the hills; * from where is my help to come?”

Psalm 121 is the psalm we use in Women’s Bible Study every Tuesday.  We use the Service of Noon Day Prayers from our Book of Common Prayer to start our study.  Currently we are studying the Apocrypha. 

This Psalm is dear to me because every time it comes up in any church service I remember the wonderful women sitting around the table as they learn for themselves (and teach me) about what God has done, and is doing.  Over the last thirteen years we have come a long way. Not just through the scriptures, but also in our bonding and relationship.

So in my personal studies or any occasion when this psalm is read it brings sweet memories to me. We all should have some piece of scripture that causes us to reflect on the goodness that God is doing in our midst.

The words of the opening of this psalm invites us to know that our help in the world must come from a Source beyond ourselves. We often can’t fix our selves, and it is very okay to look out over the horizons in your life, over the landscape of your troubles and say “I lift up my eyes to the hills; from where is my help to come?”  Because the Psalmist goes on to say, “My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.”

Hear what the Spirit is saying to God’s people.

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From the Gospel of John

“One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been there a long time, he said to him, ‘Do you want to be made well?’” (John 5: 5 – 6)

What a question to ask.    Does he want to be made well?  The obvious answer would be, “of course.”   But I have met many people who have grown comfortable with their discomfort. Many are struggling with addiction but often are not ready to do the work necessary for being clean.  It’s hard work and one has to be really committed to recovery and all the steps that come with it.

Some of my friends have physical disabilities that, with rehab, can achieve some degree of improvement.  Sometimes when I visit them in Rehab or in their homes there is much lamentation regarding physical therapist. “It’s too hard” or “it hurts” they cry.  It is at those times that I want to use Jesus’ words, “Do you want to be made well?”

Being well applies to more than just the observable sick. I have a very dear friend in Alabama who suffers from severe migraine headaches.  You can’t tell from looking at her that she is suffering horrible pain. It doesn’t show.  I also feel like our church’s next big challenge is that of fully including those who are psychologically disadvantaged or mentally ill.  They truly can be in a situation where they don’t know if they want to be made well.  But if we love them we want them to be made well.  We have many stories in the Gospel where Jesus healed on behalf of others who loved them, and from a distance.  The truth is, being made well has to be wanted and asked for either by the person, or by someone on his or her behalf.  Then Jesus does his work.

Hear what the Spirit is saying to God’s people.

Wednesday night Healing Service

JULIA CHESTER EMERY,

LAY LEADER AND MISSIONARY (9 JAN 1922)

Psalm 67;Romans 12:6-13 Mark 10:42-45 

From Romans

“Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.” (Rom. 12: 12, 13)

Julia Emery certainly heard the message of St Paul to the Romans. She certainly persevered in prayer and contributing to the needs of the needy.  We need more like her. She did more than just see the need, she felt the need. And then she did something about it.

Julia’s sister, Mary, was National Secretary of the Women’s Auxiliary of the Board of Missions for its first four years, from 1872 to 1876.  At this point, Julia took over, and was National Secretary of the Auxiliary for forty years, from 1876 to 1916. (James Keifer)

She visited every diocese in the United States (James Keifer).  Asking for money is not exactly my strong suit.  I admire her tenacity that took her across the country and the world.  She recognized her call to do what others dared to do for the sake of those who were in great need 

It was Julia who invented the United Thank Offering (UTO). This works (or used to work — my political instincts tell me that not everyone today would be comfortable with the original arrangement) by giving each woman a small box with a slit in the top (a cardboard piggy bank), and encouraging her to drop a small contribution into it whenever she feels thankful about something.    (James Keifer) 

I love those little blue boxes.  Sometimes they show up at our Diocesan Convention.  The Bishop has no objection to the “folding” kind of money going into those boxes. Let’s give God thanks for her dedicated work in fighting poverty.

Hear what the Spirit is saying to God’s people..

Daily Office Readings

AM Psalm 117, 118; PM Psalm 112, 113  Isa. 59:15-21; Rev. 2:8-17; John 4:46-54 

“Jesus said to him, ‘Go; your son will live.’ The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and started on his way.” (John 4: 50)

This exchange between Jesus and the royal official really demonstrates how Jesus uses what we believe for our own good.  Jesus goes deeper than what we say we believe – Jesus goes straight to what’s in our hearts.  Jesus sees how we act – how we behave.  We must remember that to Jesus all hearts are open, all desires known and from him no secrets are hid.  (BCP p. 355)

We are a creedal people. God bless us!  We have what we say we believe, and we have what we really believe.  In our Nicene Creed we profess that we believe in God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Within this declaration there is therein contained the history of Jesus’ birth from Mary and his death from Pontius Pilate. There is also the Easter message of “He rose again on the third day and ascended and will return to judge the living and the dead.”

So do we really believe that at some point we will indeed stand before the Judge?  What’s that going to look like?  What should we be doing now so as to make that time a pleasant experience? We must Go!  Just like the royal official, we must go on about our business and at the same time believing these three things: 1^st God IS, always has been and always will be.  2^nd God is good, always has been, always will be.  And lastly God loves us humans particularly.  This is made evident in God’s decision to come down to us as one of us.  God has placed in us the power of belief. We don’t use it near enough.

In the words of Bishop Anselm (one time archbishop of Canterbury) speaking on what it means to believe.  He writes, “I do not seek to understand that I may believe, but I believe in order that I may understand.  For this, too, I believe, that unless I first believe, I shall not understand.”  (page 240 of Lesser Feast and Fast 2006)  Anselm informs us that there is a distinct difference between understanding something believing something.  There is a teaching in some Christian circles that suggests that we must first understand so that we will believe.  It tries to have us understand why all things happen so that we might believe.  This is not what Jesus or Anselm showed. The royal official was rewarded because he believed not because he understood, and so will we if we just believe.

Hear what the Spirit is saying to God’s people.

Daily Office Readings emihidden0

AM Psalm 103; PM Psalm 114, 115 Isa. 52:3-6;  Rev. 2:1-7;  John 2:1-11

“When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, ‘They have no wine.’ And Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.’  His mother said to the servants, ‘Do whatever he tells you.’    (John 2: 3 – 5)

Among other differences of John’s Gospel to that of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, is that John never mentions the mother of Jesus by name. But thanks to the synoptic Gospels we know who she is. She is Mary.  If this is the first sign or miracle that Jesus does, then Mary has a big part in it.  It is not the changing of water into wine, something we cannot do. But rather, it is doing whatever Jesus tells us to do, which is something we surly can do, and ought to do.

If we consider ourselves to be “servants of Jesus” then we are preached to by the Mother of Jesus who tells us to do whatever he tells us to do. Notice that while Jesus fusses about “My hour has not yet come” his Mother turns to the servants of Jesus (to us) and gives us this instruction to obey him.

Mary has lived with Jesus for thirty or more years and in all that time she has never gone without.  She has lived with God Incarnate!  She has lived with One who can multiply loaves and fishes and when desired, turn water into wine in the privacy of their own home.  So she is absolutely sure of his ability, and she is just as sure of His love for her. She has never been denied.  So she is not concerned about his humanness fussing about whether or not his hour has come. She has asked him to do something for the benefit of people dear to her and she has every confidence that he will make it happen.

Now Mary is looking beyond the pages of scripture directly into our eyes – the servants of Jesus and telling us to do whatever He tells us.  She doesn’t know how, but she knows that he will command it, and if we follow him, great things will happen.

This is true today!  Mary preached that very first sermon of obeying Jesus. Like Mary, we too must be sure that Jesus is both willing and able to do as we ask knowing that we are asking for the benefit of those we love, and great things will happen!

Hear What the Spirit is Saying to God’s People. “

Eucharistic Readings

Isaiah 60:1-6   Ephesians 3:1-12  Matthew 2:1-12  Psalm 72:1-7,10-14

Matthew 2: 1 – 2

“In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising and have come to pay him homage.” (Matthew 2: 1 – 2)

I find it amazing that a non-Jewish people, albeit a studied group of ancient scientist, came to the realization that an astronomical power favored human existence and pointed the way through the means of their studies – the stars – to where this existence is taking place.  It should not surprise me however because the same thing happened with the shepherds.  In Luke’s Gospel, Shepherds tending their flocks were visited in their vocation by celestial beings and pointed to where God was at work in a baby. 

These wise men let go of any ethnic pride they might have had in order to see what God was doing.  This meant they had to go where their studies led them, in this case to Judea and specifically, to Bethlehem. If we are wise people today we must do like-wise.  God can appear in any people, anywhere at any time. Here’s the thing.  God always “points” to where God is.  And God often does this within the very way we make a living.  We just have to be aware and follow the clues no matter where they lead. The clues may lead to the incarcerated, the terminally ill, to non-English speakers or even to people we don’t particularly like. Moses was led back to Egypt where he was guilty of murder. But he followed the instructions of the burning bush that pointed him back to Egypt.

This ancient (clue-dropping) God loves us and is trying to add light to our lives.  This is the theme of Epiphany, the season of light.  As light is added to coming light let us follow God’s leading light wherever it may lead us as we too go in search of what God is doing for us today in this new 2019.

Blessings.

On this 12^th Day of Christmas our Scripture brought to us the gift of love born in human form.

AM Psalm 2, 110:1-5(6-7)Joshua 1:1-9;  Heb. 11:32-12:2;  John 15:1-16

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” (John 15:12) 0 \lsdu

I personally prefer John’s Commandment to love over the Synoptic version of “love your neighbor as you love yourself.”  There is an assumption in Matthew , Mark and Luke that one loves one’s self.  Not everybody does, they should, but not everybody does. Self loathing can then be justification for other-loathing.  But Jesus’ command in John’s Gospel makes us realize that we are to love others not as we love ourselves, but as Jesus loves us. And that includes self.

Jesus went to the cross for us, every one of us, whether we believe in him or not.  He died for the whole world, to redeem the whole world.  He did this for the world then, the world now, and the world to come – for our children’s children yet unborn. So let’s review:

Day 12;Thank you God for Your Love, born of a human mother, for the salvation of the world.

Day 11; Thank You God for Your living Word born to us

Day 10; Thank you God for the birth of the Gate

Day 9; Merry Christmas in our Church Traditions

Day 8; Merry Christmas in thanksgiving for Your Holy Name

Day 7; Merry Christmas for the Gift of Reconciliation

Day 6; Merry Christmas for adoption into the Divine Family

Day 5; Merry Christmas in Patience for the Holy Spirit

Day 4; Merry Christmas for Holy Innocents

Day 3; Merry Christmas and thanksgiving for the gift of believing

Day 2; Merry Christmas and thanksgiving for the gift of Your Church

Christmas Day we give thanks for the Birth of our Savior and for our Families                    

Merry Christmas

On this 11^th Day of Christmas our Scripture brought to us the very Word of God.

AM Psalm 85, 87; PM Psalm 89:1-29 Exod. 3:1-12; Heb. 11:23-31; John 14:6-14 l7

 “Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works.”  (John 14: 10)

So from Jesus’ words we hear directly from God. It is perhaps more important to listen to Jesus than to watch him. This somewhat validates the red print Bible because we can quickly focus on what Jesus is saying – what Jesus is commanding – what Jesus is asking us to look deeper into.

In our first Gospel Matthew reminds us that “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Matt. 4:4.  Chapters 5, 6 and 7 of Matthew should be read no less than once a week as it contains spiritual medicine for our souls.  In these chapters we find the beatitudes, instruction about interpreting the Hebrew Testament and how we should go forth into the world.  Good stuff.

Much of what is in Mark is also found in Matthew and Luke. Luke however has the most parables all which are teaching tools for morality, not the least of which is chapter 15 (that I like to call the “lost chapter” because Luke talks about the lost sheep, the lost coin and the lost son or prodigal son). It teaches us about divine priorities.

St John’s Gospel really drives home that Jesus is Word of the Creator.  John opens with “in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. Then this Gospel lets us hear Jesus’ words. Chapters 14 through 17 of John’s Gospel have Jesus’ Words of compassion, instruction and prayer for us, and to us.

Again from St. John, “Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works.”  (John 14: 10)  We cannot do what Jesus does. But we can hear what Jesus says.  Jesus is Word of the Father. In the ancient ways, to hear IS to obey. Let’s go back to hearing the Word and then doing like-wise.  Thank You God for Your living Word born to us.

Merry Christmas

On this 10th Day of Christmas our Scripture brought to us The Way in and out of life Readings For 3 January  AM Psalm 68; PM Psalm 136 Gen. 28:10-22; Heb. 11:13-22; John 10:7-17   “So again Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep.” (John 10:7) As Jesus uses the gate metaphor in self-identifying who he is, I am reminded yet once again about the opening is this same Gospel where it is says, “Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.” (John 1:3) All creation came into being through Jesus, the Gate, the entry (and exit) point into and out of creation. I remember having a simple fish tank. In the tank I had a variety of fresh water fish with various toys or things to look at in the water.  Daily I dropped some flaky fish-food (manna) from the top of the tank.   It is also from the top of the tank that I would add a new fish and take out those who had swam their course. So I imagine the top of that tank itself re-shaping itself into a fish and residing in the tank with the others. This strange fish’s job is to explain to the rest of the fish that they are appreciated for just being, that’s all!  He lets them know that there is pleasure in just seeing them from one who lives outside the tank provides all their needs. And then this strange fish returns to being the opening at the top of the tank, through which they are fed and pass through in their beginning and in their ending. So what does this mean for us? We are all here at the will and pleasure of God who enjoys our multicultural, multi-color, multi-ethnic existence and our beauty is in our variations.  Therefore we should live into being as diverse as we can be. Our contrasting variety pleases God who feeds us through Jesus Christ with the bread of life. While I know that the fish symbol did not originate from what I just framed, I do like the fish symbol because it reminds me of who we are and how we are intended to live together.

So, be it gate for the sheep or top of the tank, Jesus is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6) and is the only Way to the One outside of the tank who takes great pleasure in our co-existence and harmony.  Therefore we should be doing all we can to live lives of supporting more different cultures, ethnicities, languages and even different ways of worship – of different ways of appreciating the One outside the tank who takes pleasure in our collective beauty.

Merry Christmas in thanksgiving for the birth of the Gate.