Friday, March 30, 2012

Holy Week Scripture Reading


Palm Sunday (April 1, 2012)
·         Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29
·         Mark 11:1-11 or John 12:12-16

Monday of Holy Week (April 2)
·         Isaiah 42:1-9
·         Psalm 36:5-11
·         Hebrews 9:11-15
·         John 12:1-11

Tuesday of Holy Week (April 3)
·         Isaiah 49:1-7
·         Psalm 71:1-14
·         1 Corinthians 1:18-31
·         John 12:20-36

Wednesday of Holy Week (April 4)
·         Isaiah 50:4-9a
·         Psalm 70:1-5
·         Hebrews 12:1-3
·         John 13:21-32

Maundy Thursday (April 5)
·         Exodus 12:1-4, 5-10, 11-14
·         Psalm 116:1-2, 12-19
·         1 Corinthians 11:23-26
·         John 13:1-17, 31b-35

Good Friday (April 6)
·         Isaiah 52:13-53:12
·         Psalm 22:1-31
·         Hebrews 10:16-25 or Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9
·         John 18:1-19:42

Holy Saturday (April 7)
·         Job 14:1-14 or Lamentations 3:1-9, 19-24
·         Psalm 31:1-4, 15-16
·         1 Peter 4:1-8
·         Matthew 27:57-66 or John 19:38-42

Easter Sunday – Resurrection of the Lord (April 8, 2012)
·         Acts 10:34-43 or Isaiah 25:6-9
·         Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24
·         1 Corinthians 15:1-11 or Acts 10:34-43
·         John 20:1-18 or Mark 16:1-8

Thursday, March 15, 2012

How Great Is Your Love?

My Family has been going through a season of sickness this winter.  Have you been there?  First one is sick then another and another.  Will it ever end?  At the pinnacle when everyone including my wife was sick we popped in the Jungle Book DVD.  It was time to let Disney transport us away from the aches, pains, sniffles and coughs for a short period of time.

I was reminded what a great movie and story the Jungle Book is!  But there came a point in the movie that I had to pause the DVD.  It was at this point:



"Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13.

I had to pause the DVD and break the Disney trance to remind my kids that these were not just the words of Bagheera speaking about the actions of Baloo, but the very Words of Jesus, the son of God! 

Jesus was talking to his disciples about himself.  He was instructing them of the importance of demonstrating love an the power of the gospel.  He soon would demonstrate His love for His disciples and all people by laying down His life as the atoning sacrifice for the sin that we all have committed. Jesus set a very high standard and asks (really commands) us to demonstrate our love to each other accordingly.

John 15:12-17
12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants,[a] for the servant[b] does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. 17 These things I command you, so that you will love one another.