Good morning, dear ones.
Since we never saw our male cat, Sylvester, yesterday, figuring that the wild barking of our dogs that night was evidence that he was probably wiped out by a coyote attack. But he finally turned up this morning. Whew! That was close—maybe closer than we can know. He is now limping with an injured right front leg. I would guess that it results from coyote combat on that night. But he’s alive—purring presently on the chair behind me.
I have to run off to check out a sign job—then run from there to a sawmill job. I guess I’ll let all that physical labor substitute for my old man jog this morning.
Blessings on your day. Ray.
Insofar as truth and justice are concerned, I don’t think there could be an uglier and more unjust atrocity recorded in the entire spectrum of human experience than this story surrounding the condemnation, torture, and death of Jesus. As I read again this account, I’m there! I see it! I feel it! My emotions are engaged! There is not one shred of entertainment in the spectacle. I don’t need to have Mel Gibson and Hollywood recreate the scene for me—so that they can make their millions. In fact, I bristle at that attempt—as though I’m not capable of getting it on my own. After all, we all draw from the same resource of information—the Bible. Since when does Hollywood have an inside track on that?! Nevertheless, there is a sense that I need this painful emotional experience to help me grasp what is really going on. And I’m reminded of the songwriter’s expression (…whom, I might add, never went to see THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST) that reminds me that I need reminding often—
“At that moment the veil in the Holy of Holies was torn in two from the top to the bottom.” (Mark 15:38 The Passion Translation) The symbolism contained in the supernatural tearing apart of the temple veil that separates the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies is stunning—absolutely overwhelming—a glaring ACT OF GOD—a dramatic message confirming the unprecedented GOOD NEWS of the Biblical Gospel. “For God is one, and there is one Mediator between God and the sons of men—the true man, Jesus, the Anointed One. He gave himself as ransom-payment for everyone. Now is the proper time for God to give the world this witness” (1 Timothy 2:5-6, The Passion Translation).
A couple test questions concerning which we will all be graded:
I’m inclined to believe that our personal heart-level answers to these basic questions actually play out to determine whether we pass or fail.