The week we now call Holy Week began with the first day of the week, which Christian’s hail as Palm Sunday. The excitement of Passover rippled through the Jewish community near and far. As one of the holy days that Jews were to present themselves before God at the Temple, Jerusalem swelled from 50,000 inhabitants to 150,000 with pilgrims everywhere. Early Sunday morning Jesus boldly and publicly entered
Read MoreWe are to love the Lord with all our heart, mind, strength and soul. The ‘heart’ is the seat of the will, volition. It is what makes you uniquely you. It is what you are committing yourself to. We can commit ourselves to all kinds of things. Jesus asks us to commit ourselves wholly to God. The ‘mind’ is what we think about. It shapes how we understand God, the world, and ourselves. Jesus asks us to set our minds on
Read MoreOur bodies are fundamental to who we are. We are creatures in time and space. If someone were to ask who Jonathan Beck is, they would describe what I look like, who my family is, where I work, my hobbies, favorite restaurants, and more. Every descriptor has to do with my body and the use of my strength. When we think about the totality of our strength, it puts new light on Loving the Lord our God with all our strength (Jesus, Mk 12:30). What we do with our bodies is important. It reflects the inner state of our beings, our
Read MoreMental health is critical, if not central, to a person’s wellbeing. However, many people don’t know how to address the issue and don’t have the tools to deal with it. My wife and I were in that situation. Six years ago we moved to Metairie, and my daughter started eighth grade at a new school. She had always struggled with ADHD which became more pronounced that year. We tried counseling and medications to help her
Read MoreHow do you ‘Love the Lord your God… with all your mind’ (Mark 12:29-30)? We show people love in different ways. We give gifts. We spend time with them. We say ‘I love you.’ We say, words of affirmation. We learn and share their inner life. Likewise, we love God by studying and sharing in His inner life.
Read MoreThe next few weeks are a time of reflection on our walk with Christ. Our worship services will focus on what it means to be ALL IN. It comes directly from Jesus. Jesus iterated the fundamental teaching of the Old Testament when he said:
Read MoreHave you ever failed at a project at home, a relationship, or meeting work expectations? I think it is safe to say that we have all faced humiliating defeat at some time. We were embarrassed, felt the shame, knew the disappointment others had in us. There is a whole gamut of negative emotions that creep in. We lose heart and wonder if we can ever right the wrong and rectify the situation. As we all know, failure is a part of life. Failure is a given in this complicated, competitive, selfish, and fallen world.
Read More“Everyone says forgiveness is a lovely idea, until they have something to forgive.” CS Lewis, Mere Christianity.
Peter asked Jesus about forgiveness. ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?’ (Matt 18:21) Was Peter asking about seven different sins or the same one happening again, and again, and again? Either way, Jesus ends his teaching with, forgive your brother from the heart. First of all, ‘heart’ does not mean our emotions. Rather, ‘Heart’ means the seat of the will in
Read MoreI like the way Jesus begins his teaching in Matt 5:43 about how to treat others with whom I might disagree: “You have heard it said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'” We want our enemies to suffer like they have made us suffer. We want them to 'get what they deserve' and are more than happy to make sure that happens. As we look around us, it is evident that this resonates with our general society. However, it isn’t just other people’s problem. It’s mine. I can feel poked at on all sides, and I bottle it
Read MoreThe story of ‘The Good Samaritan’ grabs our imagination because we can’t imagine people being so heartless as to not stop and help someone in need. The Veggie Tales rendition of the Good Samaritan brings the issue home. The mayor of the town and the doctor (they represent people in public and private sector work) join together in song:
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