Holy Bishop Patrick, Faithful shepherd of Christ's royal flock, You filled Ireland with the radiance of the Gospel: The mighty strength of the Trinity! Now that you stand before the Saviour, Pray that He may preserve us in faith and love!
Hi Happy Jack, sorry to be off-topic, I just came across this news item, and I am not sure if you have already seen it or if it has been posted on an earlier thread:
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/congress-members-blast-uk-harassment-christians-rare-rebuke-close-us-ally (Published 15 March 2023)
'As a Methodist institution, Cliff College is committed to being a safe and hospitable place where those with differing convictions are welcomed and encouraged to live and learn together as faithful disciples of Christ.'
An old man's thoughts on the choices facing the faithful. Introduction "You are the salt of the earth... You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket" (Matthew 5:13-15). In my lifetime, I've witnessed sincere Christians explore distinct paths through cultural hostility or indifference. Each claims fidelity to Christ's call to be salt and light, yet these paths seem to diverge, sometimes sharply. So, I find myself returning to three images Jesus gave us—salt, light, and a city on a hill—as I watch His people wrestle with how to live in an increasingly secular, chaotic age. Salt must mingle with what it preserves, yet it can lose its savour. Light must shine in the dark, yet it can be hidden under a bushel, or burn so fiercely that it blinds. A city on a hill cannot hide; it is set inescapably before the watching world, for glory or for shame. Together, these metaphors sketch ...
Introduction An old man's thoughts on why members of the Church need more wisdom and less certainty. As I near the end of my earthly pilgrimage, I find myself thinking more about questions than answers. This surprises me. I expected that after decades of faith, prayer, and study, things would be clearer. Instead, they've become more complex. Perhaps that's exactly as it should be. The Question That Started It All Months ago, I found myself wondering about something that seemed simple at first: Should faithful Catholics engage with our increasingly secular culture, or should we withdraw into our own communities to preserve authentic faith? Part of what triggered writing this reflection today was the shocking assassination of Charlie Kirk, the Evangelical conservative commentator. I didn’t agree with his rhetoric, often sharp and divisive. However, the violence of his death, and the heated exchanges that surrounded his public witness before and after this murder, sh...
More thoughts from an old man witnessing a culture lose its way Introduction “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” - Proverbs 29:18 “Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.” - Ecclesiastes 1:2 I keep returning in my prayers to two voices from Scripture that speak directly to our time. The wise man in Proverbs warns that "where there is no vision, the people perish." The Preacher in Ecclesiastes laments that "all is vanity;" our projects, our achievements, our carefully constructed meanings dissolve like vapor. These two truths haunt me as I watch our culture flail about, desperately seeking something to believe in now that the Christian story has been largely abandoned. We are a people starving for a vision giving meaning, yet everything we grasp turns to dust in our hands. The Restless Substitutes In my lifetime, I've watched secular society try to fill the God-shaped hole with various substitutes. Eac...
Holy Bishop Patrick,
ReplyDeleteFaithful shepherd of Christ's royal flock,
You filled Ireland with the radiance of the Gospel:
The mighty strength of the Trinity!
Now that you stand before the Saviour,
Pray that He may preserve us in faith and love!
And the lovely Fáed Fíada - The Cry of the Deer or St. Patrick's Lorica.
@雲水,
DeleteAmen! Happy St Patrick's Day to everybody.
Hi Happy Jack, sorry to be off-topic, I just came across this news item, and I am not sure if you have already seen it or if it has been posted on an earlier thread:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.foxnews.com/politics/congress-members-blast-uk-harassment-christians-rare-rebuke-close-us-ally
(Published 15 March 2023)
Be warned, it is (sadly) a rather long read!
Thanks, RA. These are developments HJ is following.
DeleteYet another item to add:
Deletehttps://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11877861/Christian-theology-lecturer-sacked-threatened-counter-terrorism-referral.html
'As a Methodist institution, Cliff College is committed to being a safe and hospitable place where those with differing convictions are welcomed and encouraged to live and learn together as faithful disciples of Christ.'
DeleteHow ironic!