Thoughts from Mark "Hat" Rackley

Petak, 13. 10. 2023.

Svagdan

ČITANJA:
Jl 1,13-15; 2,1-2; Ps 9,2-3.6.16.8-9; Lk 11,15-26

BOJA LITURGIJSKOG RUHA:
zelena

IMENDANI:
Teofil, Bogoljub, Romul, Venancije, Magdalena

Prvo čitanje:

Jl 1, 13-15; 2, 1-2

Dan Gospodnji, dan mraka i tmine.

Čitanje Knjige proroka Joela

Svećenici, opašite kostrijet i tužite!
Službenici žrtvenika, naričite!
Dođite, prenoćite u kostrijeti,
službenici Boga mojeg! Jer iz Doma Boga vašeg
nesta prinosnice i ljevanice!
Naredite sveti post,
proglasite zbor svečani;
starješine, saberite sve stanovnike zemlje
u kuću Gospodina, Boga svojeg.
Zavapijte Gospodinu:
»Jao dana!
Jer Gospodnji dan je blizu
i dolazi ko pohara od Svevišnjeg.«
Trubite u trublju na Sionu!
Dižite uzbunu na svetoj mi gori!
Neka svi stanovnici zemlje dršću,
jer dolazi Gospodnji dan.
Da, on je blizu.
Dan pun mraka i tmine,
dan oblačan i crn.
Ko zora po gorama se prostire
narod jak i mnogobrojan,
kakva ne bje nikad prije,
niti će ga igda biti
do vremena najdaljih.
Riječ Gospodnja.
Otpjevni psalam:

Ps 9, 2-3.6.16.8-9

Pripjev:

Gospodin po pravdi sudi krug zemaljski.

Slavim te, Gospodine, svim srcem svojim,
ispovijedam sva čudesna djela tvoja.
Radujem se i kličem tebi,
pjevam imenu tvome, Svevišnji!

Ti pokara pogane, pogubi bezbošca,
ime im izbrisa dovijeka.
Pogani padoše u jamu koju sami iskopaše,
zamka koju potajno staviše uhvati nogu njihovu.

Ali Gospodin dovijeka stoluje,
postavi prijesto svoj da sudi:
sam po pravdi sudi krug zemaljski,
izriče pucima osudu pravednu.

Evanđelje:

Lk 11, 15-26

Ako ja prstom Božjim izgonim đavle, došlo je k vama kraljevstvo Božje.

Čitanje svetog Evanđelja po Luki

U ono vrijeme: Pošto Isus izagna đavla, rekoše neki iz mnoštva: »Po Beelzebulu, poglavici đavolskom, izgoni đavle!« A drugi su iskušavajući ga, tražili od njega kakav znak s neba. Ali on, znajući njihove misli, reče im: »Svako kraljevstvo u sebi razdijeljeno opustjet će i kuća će na kuću pasti. Ako je dakle Sotona u sebi razdijeljen, kako će opstati kraljevstvo njegovo? Jer vi kažete da ja po Beelzebulu izgonim đavle. Ako dakle ja po Beelzebulu izgonim đavle, po kome ih vaši sinovi izgone? Zato će vam oni biti suci. Ali ako ja prstom Božjim izgonim đavle, zbilja je došlo k vama kraljevstvo Božje.«
»Dokle god jaki i naoružani čuva svoj stan, u miru je sav njegov posjed. Ali ako dođe jači od njega, svlada ga i otme mu sve njegovo oružje u koje se uzdao, a plijen razdijeli.«
»Tko nije sa mnom, protiv mene je. I tko sa mnom ne sabire, rasipa.«
»Kad nečisti duh iziđe iz čovjeka, luta bezvodnim mjestima tražeći spokoja. Kad ga ne nađe, rekne: ‘Vratit ću se u kuću odakle iziđoh.’ Došavši, nađe je pometenu i uređenu. Tada ode i uzme sa sobom sedam drugih duhova, gorih od sebe, te uđu i nastane se ondje. Na kraju bude onomu čovjeku gore nego na početku.«
Riječ Gospodnja.
Ova čitanja se prenose s hilp.hr

Najčitanije
Danas
Tjedan
Mjesec
LISTOPAD – MJESEC KRUNICE

Tomislav Ivančić: Savjetujem ti da ovako moliš krunicu

CARLO ACUTIS

Blaženik tinejdžer: Ovo je 8 ‘posebnih tajni’ za one koji žele brzo dostići svetost

JUTARNJA MOLITVA

Najbolji način kako započeti dan: Izmolite jutarnju molitvu Ocu nebeskom

KUKANJE JE CRNA RUPA

Kako prestati kukati

SINODA O SINODALNOSTI

Pastoral istospolnih parova i rastavljenih bila je jedna od tema na Sinodi, istaknuto je na brifingu za medije

Trenutno se čita
LISTOPAD – MJESEC KRUNICE

Tomislav Ivančić: Savjetujem ti da ovako moliš krunicu
VELIKI PAPA

Devetnica svetom Ivanu Pavlu II. – neka vam donese brojne milosti
UTEĆI SE BOGU

Katolički poglavari Svete Zemlje pozvali na post i molitvu za mir u utorak 17. listopada
POBOŽNOST DJEVICI MARIJI

Kako se moli krunica
LITURGIJSKA GLAZBA

O himnu koji pjevamo nedjeljom: Pjesma koja sadrži riječ ‘slava’ nije isto što i himan ‘Slava Bogu na visini’

Gdje je Petar, tamo je Crkva; i gdje je Crkva, tu ne vlada smrt, nego vječni život.

— Sveti Ambrozije

Making the Commitment – with a little help
17m sedan
The Christian Life
Prayer and Devotions
Worship
Listening to God
Family
After the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. Then they carried the ark into Dagon’s temple and set it beside Dagon. When the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord! They took Dagon and put him back in his place. But the following morning when they rose, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord! His head and hands had been broken off and were lying on the threshold; only his body remained.

1 Samuel 5:1-4
Then all the people of Israel turned back to the Lord. So Samuel said to all the Israelites, “If you are returning to the Lord with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths and commit yourselves to the Lord and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.” So the Israelites put away their Baals and Ashtoreths, and served the Lord only.
Then Samuel said, “Assemble all Israel at Mizpah, and I will intercede with the Lord for you.” When they had assembled at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the Lord. On that day they fasted and there they confessed, “We have sinned against the Lord.” Now Samuel was serving as leader of Israel at Mizpah.

1 Samuel 7:2b-6
“You will all fall away,” Jesus told them, “for it is written:
“‘I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep will be scattered.’
But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”
Peter declared, “Even if all fall away, I will not.”
“Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “today—yes, tonight—before the rooster crows twice you yourself will disown me three times.”
But Peter insisted emphatically, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the others said the same.

Mark 14:27-31
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

John 16:33
So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.

1 Peter 4:19
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Romans 12:21
The Boilerplate
My wife took a Bible Study in 2009. She had become a Christian in 2000, and about the time that she took this class during the week at night, she developed night blindness, or at least the start of it. I would drive her to a friend’s house, and then the friend would drive her home afterwards. The focus on the Bible Study was weight loss from a biblical perspective. I don’t know if any weight was lost by anyone in the Bible Study, but a few members of that group became very good friends.

My wife passed away in March and I found her study guide as I was cleaning up. I actually found two study guides. The other study guide was from a Bible study long before committing herself to Jesus. Her answers were usually copying Scripture or turning the Scripture into her own words. This Bible Study in 2009 showed signs of how God was working in her life. It showed Christian growth.

So, instead of writing about a topic at random, I decided to write on the topics in the Study Guide, but instead of using the words of the Study Guide, I thought I would fashion the answers of her questions into a thread to discuss the topic. And I will not use any comment about other members of the group study (few, and usually prayer requests). That would be confidential. Thus, I am writing about these topics “with a little help” from my wife’s answers to study guide questions.

Discussion on this topic
“Age 18-24 – seeking answers and staying away from church – not a good time”

My wife’s answer to whether she ever had a time away from God
The first Scripture is almost comical. God visually shows the Philistines how much greater His power is over their own gods. First it was in Ashdod. After their false god “bowed down” before the Ark of God, the people started developing tumors. They sent the Ark to Gath. People became so scared that there was widespread panic and hysteria. So, they sent the Ark to Ekron. By now, the Philistines did not want the Ark of God anymore. The next chapter, 1 Samuel 6, speaks of the wild arrangements that they made to cleanse themselves from being in the presence of the true God. They basically paid the Israelites to come and get their Ark of God.

But, the book of 1 Samuel starts with a barren woman who prayed, committing her child to God if she could only conceive. Hannah bore Samuel and Samuel was given to Eli, the judge and priest. Eli’s sons were cruel and corrupt. They are killed in the Philistine battle, but it is the news of the loss of the Ark of God that causes Eli to despair, fall over, and die.

So the Israelites had lost their priest, judge, and the symbol of God being with them. They were on a raft without a rudder, oar, or paddle, in heavy seas or rushing currents. Thus, the question, have you ever had a time away from God?

My wife’s simple statement is such an understatement that it is profound. Yet, it says volumes in its simplicity. Are the details important? She was lost then, so did it matter what those details were? She said she was seeking and asking questions. The priests could not answer any of the questions. In fact, they usually told her to quit thinking such things and never ask that question again. Throughout her entire school life, she was the student in class that asked the questions that the other students had not thought of or were afraid to ask. It is the way she learned.

But it hurts my feelings that she included “24.” She met me just before her 24th birthday, and we were married six months later. She told me that I was willing to answer the questions she had asked the priests, the priests that had no answers. Now, she did not accept Jesus until she was forty-nine years old, but, from near her 24th birthday, she was in church, teaching Sunday school, singing in choirs, etc. from the time we were married until then. She was with God, but she had not accepted Him yet. She had not made that commitment.

“Give up false (foreign) gods and then the Lord will deliver you. [Worship with] not half a heart but all of your heart soul and being. Getting rid of all your ‘gods’, i.e. food, pleasure, anything that would keep you away from God. Get rid of other gods and start living for the true God.”

My wife’s thoughts about the second Scripture above
My wife saw that food was a god when you overindulged. She felt she did, and she probably did from the standpoint of eating the wrong foods. Her subsequent kidney failure caused her to completely change the way she ate. She might only have a meal with one green vegetable and a protein. She might snack on cheese or a high-protein snack. As her kidneys started failing, keeping the protein intake up was important, and reducing potassium and phosphorous was equally important. The phosphorous was hard in that the nutrition labels rarely identify all the phosphorous in foods. She took massive doses of expensive medicine to keep her phosphorous levels down.

But she also mentioned pleasure. Not that following Jesus is boring, but we must be careful with our selection of pleasures. She loved to sing. She loved to laugh. She loved playing practical jokes. If she was in a small group, planning something or studying something, even something very serious, you knew with her there, there would be laughter. One 80+ lady at church often tells me that she misses her “partner in crime.” Nothing criminal, but the two of them would battle the stuffed shirts at the meetings (stuffed shirts as in women that were all business and never smiling, with more rules than the Pharisees could ever dream of), trying their best, and often failing, to even get a smile out of them. But that failure fueled them to be even more “crazy” at the next meeting.

“Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you, but he denied even knowing Jesus 3X.”

My wife’s ideas about the third Scripture above (from Mark)
We cannot do it on our own power. Peter had been with Jesus for three years. It was Peter who made all the bold statements that Jesus was the Son of God, the Messiah. But on his own power, Peter melted.

But what did Peter learn?

“So then those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good. We might become uncomfortable with what is happening to us physically, mentally or spiritually, but we must remain faithful to God. He’ll see us through bad times and good.”

My wife’s ideas about the 1 Peter 4 Scripture above
My wife was not in perfect health in 2009 when she wrote this, but it was before her heart condition fell apart, needing open heart surgery, even before a few heart attacks. Her kidney function was less than fifty percent, but she was far from needing kidney dialysis. All of that was to come, but from this answer, God was preparing her for what was ahead. I knew my wife’s weaknesses, but in reading this, she had grown in faith so much, it makes me think she grew in twenty years more than I did in 50 years.

“No matter what, Jesus died for our own peace and He overcame the world – Look to God and follow His ways. I have to continue on. Get back in the saddle, ride the wave and other cliches, and just give it up to God.”

My wife’s thoughts on the John 16 Scripture
And what if things do not work out just the way you hoped…

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good – Turn a bad thing off your plan – and start again.”

My wife’s thoughts on the Romans 12 Scripture
I am not sure what she meant by turning a bad thing off her plan, but we definitely need to make sure we have no bad things in our plan.

I have less than ten pages of her notes left. I wish she had kept more of her study guide notes. I have learned so much about her from her inner thoughts that she wrote, but much is what we talked about in our conversations. I pray that I will be inspired to write more in the Babs and Harold series, maybe my leaking memory can remember some of our conversations more vividly, once I finish this book.

Soli Deo Gloria. Only to God be the Glory

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