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Easter Vigil at St. Ben's

I leaned over to my oldest son, who was already getting sleepy (it was about 8:45 at this point) and I said, “The first reading was Genesis, the second was Exodus…” and his eyes got as big as stained-glass windows. … They were able to keep up through each of the readings, which was great, but whenever something was chanted or sung, I could watch their fingers get lost in the script.

They Did It All Wrong and God Loved It

Here is God, overlooking some blatant screw-ups during one of His most important holy days: Celebrated in the wrong month Celebrated by unprepared priests & Levites (should have only been priests that were clean) Celebrated by people that were unclean Celebrated by many people that weren’t even Jewish! Celebrated longer than God ever ordered it to be Celebrated in ways God never intended (with sacrifices from the king in addition to being from the people) Next time you are at church (if you know me, you know I’m the “you” in this sentence) and you want to gripe or be critical about the way things are being done, look at this hot mess in 2 Chronicles 30.

Paul Goes All Habakkuk in Pisidian Antioch

For I am doing a work in your days, a work you would never believe, even if someone tells you.’ – Acts 13:41 Paul tells the people in Pisidian Antioch all about how all of Jewish history has been leading up to the birth of Christ, and then he quotes Habakkuk at the end of it. … Now if you who are Israel won’t turn to God and believe Jesus is the Messiah, the Gentiles will come in and plunder the blessing that is for you!”

With vs. Like – The Father, The Son, and the Holy Spirit

As I read through the book of Acts and I’m working on my @iamstpaul project there is never any question that God is WITH Paul. (except for maybe when he’s getting stoned to death–but right after that there was no question!) I think that’s also how God knew that King David would “accomplish everything I want him to do” because He knew David wanted to be WITH God and in God’s presence more than he wanted to seek equality with God.

Jesus and Forgiveness

Matthew 9:2-6 2         Just then some people brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Have courage, son! Your sins are forgiven.” 3         Then some of the experts in the law said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming!” 4         When Jesus saw their reaction…