Lori Stanley Roeleveld Contributing Writer 2021 16 Apr
The 10 plagues of Egypt make for engaging church school stories and dramatic film depictions as Moses leads the Israelites to freedom. We memorize the plagues as if one day there will be a quiz (keep reading, there just might be!). And they are remembered whenever followers of God celebrate the Passover. But are the plagues of Egypt more relevant than we might initially consider? Might they also foreshadow coming events and even deliver a message about the danger and audacity of idolatry?
What Are the 10 Plagues of Egypt?
In the time of Joseph at the end of the book of Genesis, the Israelites had found provision amid famine in Egypt. Joseph, one of the 12 sons of Jacob, had risen to second in authority in the land. He forgave the brothers who sold him into slavery and asked them to relocate their father and all their people to Egypt so he co
Jayaseelan Amalanathan
Lent is a penitential season and, therefore, a season of sacrifice. We accompany Jesus in the desert and to the Cross by offering our small sacrifices, such as, giving up foods we enjoy, adding extra prayer to our daily routine, fasting, etc., for the 40 days of Lent. Sacrifice is a theme we see in the Bible. Sacrifice is a means to lead us to conform to God’s will and thereby make us holy.
The story of Abraham preparing to sacrifice his son Isaac in obedience to God’s command moves us to the edge of our seat until the moment when God’s angel stops the slaughter. Then we feel relieved to witness a happy ending to the story.
VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis, suffering from an attack of sciatica, was absent from the celebration of Vespers and the recitation of the
Te Deum – the Church’s solemn chant of Thanksgiving for the past year – but nonetheless offered a reflection on how we can give thanks for the year that is drawing to a close.
The liturgy was presided over by the Dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, who pronounced the homily prepared by Pope Francis for the occasion.
In his homily, Pope Francis wrote that giving thanks “at the end of a year like this” might seem “forced,” or even jarring, especially when we think of families who have lost loved ones, of the sick, of those who have suffered alone, or who have lost their jobs.
Dec 18, 2020
It is a modern day parable.
The story is courtesy of Louis Cassells, former Religion Editor (think of that.a time when news organizations actually had one) of the United Press International (UPI). The late Paul Harvey made this his annual Christmas monologue.
I have added to the story and former WFLA Program Director Jeff Wolf enhanced it with sound production to bring the feature a sense of being there. It is my favorite Christmas story because it beautifully explains the Advent, the Coming of Christ, to a skeptic who has struggled each Christmas season for years.
Please consider setting the right perspective when you open your Christmas gifts by listening to The Man and The Birds as a family. As you gaze at the tree remember it was the wood from a tree that held Jesus as He died. When you look at the lights on the tree - remember how God sent His Son to be the light of the world, to drive away darkness. As you marvel at the gifts remember that God so loved t