1 John 3
See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
4 Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. 5 You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. 6 No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. 7 Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. 8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. 9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. 10 By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.
Love One Another
11 For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 12 We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother's righteous. 13 Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.
16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 17 But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
19 By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; 20 for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; 22 and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. 23 And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. 24 Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.
When we think of the vast History of Jesus going to Caesarea and proclaiming in the most Roman part of Israel, Jesus would have an amazing Church the gates of Hell would not prevail against - I always remember the Church kept the serfs from starving. Taught farming, later reading and created Hospitals. At a high cost during Plague.
Churches build structures like St Paul's-Outside-The-Walls to overcome fear of going outside. Overcoming social isolation and overcoming highway robbery. St. Paul's Basilica Outside The Walls is the co-part to the Vatican.
I will from time to time indulge in humor about Vestments, because when one starts to look like Louis XIV, one has on what the Catholic Church Priests call Negligee Vestments ... and humor - is a great thing. Regular Vestments are great. Louis XIV - not so much.
But the Tradition of Monastery - beauty of schools, farming and saving the country from many forms of starvation - is simply stunning. The Church rose for centuries and shone brightest in the Darkness. Like Hurricanes.
Liturgy of Hours
Matins (during the night, at about 2 a.m.); also called Vigil and perhaps composed of two or three Nocturns
Lauds or Dawn Prayer (at dawn, about 5 a.m., but earlier in summer, later in winter)
Prime or Early Morning Prayer (First Hour = approximately 6 a.m.)
Terce or Mid-Morning Prayer (Third Hour = approximately 9 a.m.)
Sext or Midday Prayer (Sixth Hour = approximately 12 noon)
None or Mid-Afternoon Prayer (Ninth Hour = approximately 3 p.m.)
Vespers or Evening Prayer ("at the lighting of the lamps", about 6 p.m.)
Compline or Night Prayer (before retiring)
I think we have enough worry and news now. My son is attending Michigan State Law School and faster than a Speeding Bullet - the classes were on-line. Why sit home and worry?
Another Brick in the Wall
Pink Floyd
We don't need no education
We don't need no thought control
Teachers Unite. And create some education on You Tube. No one needs extra burdens and worry about everything. Teaching is beautiful. A few moments of the Romance of Learning. Syllabus down. The Adventure of what you teach. Why not. Time to care for what we know is yearning huddled masses. Freedom to express what you love in teaching.
This mountain retreat in Italy is actually a working monastery open to tourists and overnight guests. Many of Italy's monasteries double as accommodation – perfect for tourists. We have all loved seeing the Italians are singing Hope on the Balconies. What if we could sing them a few prayers back specifically to Italy? Via You Tube.
What if our Churches sent us some prayers from the Liturgy of Hours via You Tube. This Hourly Prayer isn't a relic tradition. Our Radio Station in the Houston area KSBJ does a Pray Down at High Noon. I've joined others who pray at 3 p.m. about a month ago for the ill and suffering we know, the Health Care System and the Care and Healing of all around the world.
John in the Power of the Holy Spirit presents us with two Chapters before this Chapter. John begins with the Beginning and stays first and foremost Walk in Jesus and have Fellowship. Jesus Christ is our Advocate. Jesus is Grace upon Grace to be who we are exactly to approach God with all boldness and confidence.
And then God helps us not cycle into despair. Talks provoking sin, sibling murder (stay on your side of the car). Begin to love our brother, righteousness producing Life and avoiding envy, and strife over wealth. A closed heart - how does God's love abide in him? Let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
John writes this in late life. He is encouraging us to be open hearted and find the Good Path.
We can use this time to provoke or to heal and soothe. This is the message God is bringing us.
We've been visiting family on long distance calls. Walking and taking in BBC Museum You Tube Tours. When I get to the prayer portion of the Post, I am challenged. I just talk to Father God after I pray the Lord's Prayer. We all have prayer lists, simply add in yours. The Liturgy of Hours Prayer can be praying the Scripture.
Abba,
You are Love. To Love You, You tell us is to make ourselves pure. Just praying puts us to the place You would draw us to You.
One day our eyes will see All of Your Glory. When You place Desire to Live in us, You probably are giving us Miles to go.
We hope this stay-cation portion of this Awful Virus is going to be Pleasing to You. Help us to find projects and good works to keep us from worry. We pray for all the families gathered in an odd time and in stress to find Joy. We pray the Comfort of the Holy Spirit will give us the Power of Love to not pick at each other. We need to practice finding what is good when to complain is as easy as opening a stuffed up closet.
We can remember the Egyptian Ipuwer complaining about the officials in God's Exodus. It's easy to complain and more difficult to live the solutions.
Better to find Joy in Loving the people God has given us. To listen to some of the massive worries we have. To have compassion and listen to complaints. To encourage one another to be who they are and enjoy them in their quirks. Not to allow grievances to pile up to hide worry and fear.
God knows the truth about all of us and He would reassure us memories are being made. Make a Life, Truth and Way for Grace and Mercy with Sincere Love. No Grumps.
God we pray all this stress to be temporary and the Love and Joy to be Permanent. Let us rest our cares upon You, Father as You are caring for us.
In Jesus Christ, we'd place The Comfort of the Holy Spirit as Jesus covering us in Him.
Amen.
♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †
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