Yesterday morning, I attended Trinity Lutheran Church with my family, and Pastor Virgil Cain gave a brief yet excellent meditation drawing from a poem-turned-into-a-hymn penned in 1863 by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882), a great poet and literary scholar, titled “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.” As I listened to the pastor, my heart was encouraged and comforted by his message and I had to share this poem with you.
Showing posts with label Church Seasons. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Church Seasons. Show all posts
December 31, 2012
The Christmas Bells That Still Ring
Yesterday morning, I attended Trinity Lutheran Church with my family, and Pastor Virgil Cain gave a brief yet excellent meditation drawing from a poem-turned-into-a-hymn penned in 1863 by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882), a great poet and literary scholar, titled “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.” As I listened to the pastor, my heart was encouraged and comforted by his message and I had to share this poem with you.
November 22, 2012
A Thanksgiving Hymn and Prayer
We Gather Together
We gather together to ask the Lord's blessing;
He chastens and hastens his will to make known;
The wicked oppressing now cease from distressing,
Sing praises to his name: He forgets not his own.
He chastens and hastens his will to make known;
The wicked oppressing now cease from distressing,
Sing praises to his name: He forgets not his own.
A Contagious Virus of Thankfulness
"Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!
For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.” (Psalm 100)
February 20, 2012
On Quadragesima, plus several ideas
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When I mention “Bourbon Street,” what does it make you think about? New Orleans and, if you are in the South, Mardi Gras!
I live around 4-6 hours from New Orleans right now (this is just a quick guess), and I had the opportunity to visit this lovely city last summer and toured a small part of New Orleans during a ministry conference. I would not be surprised if some people from this area made an annual “pilgrimage” to New Orleans to celebrate Mardi Gras. And it is appropriately named as Fat Tuesday or Shrove Tuesday; I think it should also be known as the day of gluttony where people stuff up on food and donuts. Actually, this brings back good memories to me when my ex-boss along with a few other co-workers cooked up donuts for all employees last year where I worked. And I would be lying if I said I only had two donuts because they were delicious!
Why do people partake in gluttony on Mardi Gras? That is because it falls on the day prior to Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the Lenten season marked by fasting and abstinence. Lent is a Christian observance of the liturgical calendar that spans over a period of 40 days from Ash Wednesday until Easter Sunday (the six Sabbaths during Lent are not counted toward this total), and it is practiced by millions of Protestants and Catholics across the world. This is perhaps one of the most important seasons of Christian calendar events apart from Christmas and Easter.
When I mention “Bourbon Street,” what does it make you think about? New Orleans and, if you are in the South, Mardi Gras!
I live around 4-6 hours from New Orleans right now (this is just a quick guess), and I had the opportunity to visit this lovely city last summer and toured a small part of New Orleans during a ministry conference. I would not be surprised if some people from this area made an annual “pilgrimage” to New Orleans to celebrate Mardi Gras. And it is appropriately named as Fat Tuesday or Shrove Tuesday; I think it should also be known as the day of gluttony where people stuff up on food and donuts. Actually, this brings back good memories to me when my ex-boss along with a few other co-workers cooked up donuts for all employees last year where I worked. And I would be lying if I said I only had two donuts because they were delicious!
Why do people partake in gluttony on Mardi Gras? That is because it falls on the day prior to Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the Lenten season marked by fasting and abstinence. Lent is a Christian observance of the liturgical calendar that spans over a period of 40 days from Ash Wednesday until Easter Sunday (the six Sabbaths during Lent are not counted toward this total), and it is practiced by millions of Protestants and Catholics across the world. This is perhaps one of the most important seasons of Christian calendar events apart from Christmas and Easter.
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