Photo taken from the movie “Ben Hur”. “Ben Hur” won Film of the Year at the Oscar’s, the British Oscar, Foreign Film Press Picture of the Year, New York Press Award, Foreign Press Association Picture of the Year, and 11 total Oscars. It was the only work of fiction to be blessed by a pope.Lew Wallace: a lawyer, governor, Union general in the Civil War, American statesman, military commission in the trial of Lincoln assassination conspirators and author, best remembered for his historical novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ. Recently, historian Victor Davis Hanson has argued that the novel was based heavily on the author Lew Wallace's own life, particularly his experiences at Shiloh and the damage it did to his reputation. There are some striking similarities: the book's main character, Judah Ben-Hur accidentally causes injury to a high-ranking commander, for which he and his family suffer no end of tribulations.
Trailer for the movie Ben Hur:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SOT0ofuscU
Luke 5:12-16
12 While he was in one of the cities, there came a man full of leprosy. [1] And when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and begged him, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” 13 And Jesus [2] stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him. 14 And he charged him to tell no one, but “go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as Moses commanded, for a proof to them.” 15 But now even more the report about him went abroad, and great crowds gathered to hear him and to be healed of their infirmities. 16 But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray.
Footnotes
[1] 5:12 Leprosy was a term for several skin diseases; see Leviticus 13
[2] 5:13 Greek he
Once there was a conversation in my life with someone I love very much, who moved away from their faith. They had been raised in a Christian home and had participated in youth activities and bible studies. This loved one told me that the bible had been manipulated by the rulers and political forces in the world to shape and control the population. It was explained to me during this conversation that Jesus went to the lepers because the bible wanted to please the Union representatives of the Leper Union. It was a turning point in the conversation when the truth that there was no reward in being kind to the lepers. No one loved the lepers, they were the outcasts of society, removed from their homes and shunned by all. It is a testament that Jesus, the Son of God, loved all of mankind and spoke to the leper and used His healing power to heal the leper.
Luke 17: 11 Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy [a] met him. They stood at a distance 13 and called out in a loud voice, "Jesus, Master, have pity on us!"
14 When he saw them, he said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were cleansed.
15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.
17 Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" 19 Then he said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well."
Footnotes:
[a] Luke 17:12 The Greek word was used for various diseases affecting the skin—not necessarily leprosy.
This is a video of the faith Ben Hur discovers as events of his life lead him to a relationship of belief and trust in Jesus Christ. This is the end of the movie and if you have never seen Ben Hur, you might want to skip this one it is a spoiler.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=de3gV_XL9dU&feature=related
To be included in daily emails, please email holdenll@hotmail.com “All Scripture is inspired by God” (2 Timothy 3:16). Men “moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God” (2 Peter 1:21). The Holy Spirit carried men along, moving and guiding them as they wrote in their own words what God wanted them to say. The Bible is unique; comprised of 80 separate books, & written over a period of thousands of years by more than 40 writers with one Author, spanning the centuries, different states of peace & war & different situations in life. The Bible answers the question: of who is God, who is man & what can their relationship can be. Although the Bible was written on perishable material and copied by hand for many centuries, its accuracy is not in doubt, proven by Dead Sea Scrolls and papyrus from 2,000 years. The Bible has survived persecution & criticism to be read with great interest in each generation. The Bible gives witness to the greatness of the Creator. A loving Father concerned for all of his creation. With each verse of the bible witnessing to God is love and the multitude & vastness of His attributes. The Bible was written for you. <>< (We usually use the New International Version or English Standard Version) The purpose of the daily liturgy is to read the Holy Scriptures. The Bible was written for you. <><
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