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Advent Awareness
Wearied of war the poet sees “with my own eyes the Sibyl at Cumae hanging in a cage, and when the boys said to her: “Sibyl, what do you want?” she answered: “I want to die.”… “What are the roots that clutch, what branches grow Out of this stony rubbish? Oh Son of man,…
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Kings or Kids
Pilate said to Jesus, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “Do you say this on your own or have others told you about me?” Pilate answered, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests handed you over to me. What have you done?” “Jesus answered,…
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Deconstructing the Working Man Identity
“As Jesus was making his way out of the temple area, one of his disciples said, Look, teacher, what stones and what buildings. Jesus responded, ‘Do you see these great buildings? There will not be one stone left upon another that will not be thrown down.’” Jesus talks of the tribulation of those days…
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Beware
“Beware of the scribes,” Jesus says, “They like to go around in long robes and accept greetings in the marketplaces, seats of honor in synagogues, and places of honor at banquets. They devour the houses of widows and, as a pretext recite lengthy prayers.” Jesus “observed how the crowd put money into the treasury.…
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Love They Neighbor
The Old Testament writes of Yahweh, declaring, “I, the LORD, your God, am a jealous God.” “Fear the LORD, your God, and keep, throughout the days of your lives, all his statutes and commandments.’” “Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone! Therefore, you shall love the LORD, your God, with…
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Sacred Hearts
“As Jesus was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a sizable crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind man, sat by the roadside begging. On hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out.” “And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he kept calling out all the more.” “Jesus stopped and…
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Glory
“James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” He replied, “What do you wish me to do for you?” They answered him, “Grant that in your glory we may sit one at your right and…
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Needling the Rich
A rich man is shocked when Jesus tells him that to inherit eternal life he must “‘Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’ His face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.” Jesus “’aid to his…
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Learning to Fall
The Pharisees approach Jesus about divorce and admit, “Moses permitted a husband to write a bill of divorce and dismiss” his wife. But Jesus told them, It is “because of the hardness of your hearts” Moses permitted it. Later, “people were bringing children to him that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked…
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Of Our Company
“John said to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to prevent him because he is not of our company. Jesus replied, “Do not prevent him.” Jesus went on to talk about what causes us to sin, “If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off.”…