The Lord is Passing By June 16

Piety

Jesus, we have to do some pruning in order to avoid the near occasions of sin. We have to keep our hands and minds and eyes and ears occupied with your word and works so the Other One doesn’t call our name in temptation. Help us to leave our former lives and temptations behind in order to follow your commands. Amen.

Study
http://www.usccb.org/nab/061606.shtml

“Go outside and stand on the mountain before the LORD; the LORD will be passing by.” 1 Kings 19:11

What would the Lord say if he passed by Babson Court this week? Or Winnepeg Drive? Or Sideburn Road? Or Earps Corner Place? Or Ashton Oaks Drive? Or Hemlock Way? Or your street?

Would the Lord ask what we are doing about the problems in the world? Would Jesus wonder if we read the Bible and took His message to heart? Would Jesus wonder why he died for our sins only to find us watching “Big Brother” or “The Sopranos”? Or would Jesus wonder why we were calling for take-out dinner while people were starving, hungry for nourishment of the body, spirit and heart from the companionship that we withheld from them?

Elijah was working hard for the Lord and still struggled. Have we been as zealous as Elijah? Do we have room for improvement? What will we tell those who come after us?

Jesus continues to raise the bar. Jesus, in Matthew’s Gospel, continues raising the behavior standards for Christians beyond the requirements of Mosaic law. Jesus introduces the concept that the intention is just as bad as the sin and we should take severe action to avoid the intentions to sin. After all, when we sin in thought, word or deed, who do we think we are fooling?

What do you have to remove from your life to be without sin?

Action

Today, two stories have piqued my attention. First, twenty-seven religious leaders have started publishing a statement urging the United States to “abolish torture now -- without exceptions.” http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/12/AR2006061201484.html. You can read the entire Statement at this site: http://www.nrcat.org/statement.aspx. It begins:

Torture violates the basic dignity of the human person that all religions hold dear. It degrades everyone involved --policy-makers, perpetrators and victims. It contradicts our nation's most cherished ideals. Any policies that permit torture and inhumane treatment are shocking and morally intolerable.

Please join over 5,000 people including Theodore Cardinal McCarrick, Rev. William J. Bryon, former president of The Catholic University of America, Nobel prize winner Elie Wiesel, Dr. Rick Warren, Rev. Jim Wallis, your humble Lighthouse Keeper, and other people of faith who want to end torture now.

In addition to people from all walks of life stepping forward to take action, today, we heard that one famously wealthy American plans to step down from his corporate position to devote time to his philanthropic and charitable interests, especially advancing global health care.

Bill Gates “plans to relinquish all daily duties at the company and instead focus his legendary competitive drive on improving global health and access to technology,” according to a story in today’s Washington Post.

Even though we may not be able to stop working, how can we re-order our priorities to do more evangelical action either in the political arena urging our leaders to support Christian principles consistently and in the religious arena?