Mary at the Foot of the Cross

“Standing by the foot of the Cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother: ‘Woman, behold your son.’ Then he said to his disciple, ‘Behold your mother.’ And from that hour the disciple took her into his home” (Jn 19:25).

I believe that St. John, in this passage, wants to exalt Mary’s faith by presenting two elements in reference to this event:

First, Mary’s presence at the foot of the Cross. It is precisely at this place where the faith of the disciples and, logically, Mary’s faith, is put to the hardest test. Her presence manifests Her fidelity, Her constant abandonment to the designs of the Lord’s will, and a faith that is undiminished, unchanged and unaltered even in the darkest hours.

SIN

SIN

Among the Pauline letters, the word of ‘sin’ can be found in Romans, 1,2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, 2 Thessalonians and 1 Timothy. But the word of ‘sin’ can be found many times in the letter of Romans. More than any others Pauline letters, Paul explained about the concept of ‘sin’ clearly in the letter of Romans. The ‘sin’ that described in other Pauline letters based on the main concept of ‘sin’ in the Romans.

In his letters, Paul taught the followers of Christ about that through one’s offence how the sin begins, what is the cause of sin, how the sin reigns over our flesh and finally the death which is the wages of sin. Paul also taught that through baptism we are free from the sin, through the law of God we become the servants of righteousness, through Jesus Christ we overcome the death, the wages of sin and finally through One’s sacrifice we gain back the grace of eternal life again. The grace of God is greater than the offences of sin. Therefore though the sin reigned over our flesh and it is against the Law, the commandment which is holy, just and good through Jesus Christ we all gain back the grace of eternal life again. 

"What are the different Jewish festivals in the Bible?"

Question: "What are the different Jewish festivals in the Bible?"

Answer: There are seven Jewish festivals or feasts outlined in the Bible. While they are mentioned throughout Scripture, we find instructions for all seven laid out in Leviticus 23. Leviticus 23:2 refers to the seven Jewish festivals, literally “appointed times,” also called “holy convocations.” These were days appointed and ordained by God to be kept to the honor of His name. These times of celebration are important not only to Israel, but also to the overall message of the Bible, because each one foreshadows or symbolizes an aspect of the life, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

When Was Jesus Born?

When Was Jesus Born?

Let me begin by saying right up front that no one knows exactly when Jesus was born because the Bible does not clearly answer this question. That doesn’t mean the question is unimportant, only that it is not essential to our Christian faith. As we approach Christmas this year, it is good to remind ourselves that nowhere does the Bible command us to celebrate Jesus’ birth. If the first Christians knew the precise year and day when our Lord was born in Bethlehem, they didn’t make an issue of it. Yet it was inevitable that his birth would be remembered. Two of the gospels contain detailed information about the events surrounding the birth of our Lord. And since his birth happened in a very unusual fashion, it is not surprising that Christians for 2000 years have done what Mary did as she considered all that happened to her. Luke 2:20 says she treasured up all the events and pondered them in her heart. It is a useful spiritual exercise to think about the how and when and why of the events surrounding our Lord’s birth.

Question: "What are the responsibilities of deacons in the church?"

Question: "What are the responsibilities of deacons in the church?"

Answer: In the New Testament, the word usually translated "serve" is the Greek word diakoneo, which literally means "through the dirt." It refers to an attendant, a waiter, or one who ministers to another. From this word we get the English word “deacon.” We first see the word "deacon" used this way in the book of Acts. “And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, "It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables” (Acts 6:2). The men who were giving themselves to feeding the flock by preaching and teaching realized that it wasn’t right for them to leave those activities to wait tables, so they found some other men who were willing to serve, and put them in place to minister to the church’s physical needs while the elders or pastors ministered to their spiritual needs. It was a better use of the resources they were given, and a better use of everyone’s gifts. It also got more people involved in serving and helping one another.