Image of God (traditions, Gospel, church, believe)
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I wanted to share something from mass today that really stuck with me... The homily after the Gospel was wonderful today. I usually have my children at mass and they tend to distract me, as a four and six year old might do with what fidgiting they naturally do. But today my parents took them for my husband and me while we attended mass.... it was a treat to be able to listen to the entire mass from beginning to end without interruption.... Now... I am CATHOLIC... I am using my experince as a CATHOLIC because I found this to really hit me spiritually and I wanted to share this... so I will not change that it was a Priest telling this story. Please, I am not asking you to bash me for being Catholic or for the fact that it was a PRIEST giving the Homily.... just think about the question I am going to ask after I give you the story.....
Anyway... The Gospel was Johnn3:16 GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY SON The homily was then about how God is Love.... and the Image of Love... How God Love US ALL.... it was a warm WONDERFUL homily.... The Priest was also talking about how some People (not him) believe that individuals do horrible things and then bad things happen to them and how could that be? God is LOVE.... He then gave an example of such a person....:
He was on a plane, sitting next to a man and they were discussing KATRINA and New Orleans. The man he was sitting next to on the plane felt that the people of NOLA deserved the wrath of the hurricane because of their sinful behaviors and it was an act of GOD. The priest, now sad by the convesation, then asked the man why he felt this. The man said it was the drugs, the drinking, the prostitution, gambling that happend in the French Quarter. The Priest asked the man if he understood the only area that was not hit by Katrina and damaged WAS the French Quarter and the people who were harmed all lived in areas well outside of the French Quarter.... he then told him he might want to rethink his IMAGE of GOD....and asked him if he really thought that is really what GOD wanted for the poor people of NOLA...
I am just wondering....what is your IMAGE of GOD?
I know mine is of a KIND, CARING, LOVING GOD.... one who would not want that. I was quite sad to hear that people think that to be... God Is Love.... I believe that... I left mass feeling so good in my heart today. Maybe it was because I could actually listen without my kids interrupting.... but that homily made me feel so loved by the Lord....and so shocked that people could feel this way..... when I really believe God Loves Us ALL.....
Beautiful post Skbs..I am glad you and your dh had this opportunity to be able to focus your complete attention on the mass today..I share your image of God as love.. Pure love does not hate, does not punish or threat..Christ came to free us of sin and fear of the Fathers love..I do not think God causes natural disasters for an opportunity to cause his children to suffer anymore than they already do. I believe that , although he didn't stop the levees from bursting He was there with His children through the storm...John 3:16 is the one verse that establishes who God is and the width , depth and height of his love..
Beautiful post Skbs..I am glad you and your dh had this opportunity to be able to focus your complete attention on the mass today..I share your image of God as love.. Pure love does not hate, does not punish or threat..Christ came to free us of sin and fear of the Fathers love..I do not think God causes natural disasters for an opportunity to cause his children to suffer anymore than they already do. I believe that , although he didn't stop the levees from bursting He was there with His children through the storm...John 3:16 is the one verse that establishes who God is and the width , depth and height of his love..
I love this line Blue...he sheltered his children... beautifully stated.... you have such a way with words Blue....
Though bad things may happen.... he is there to get us through it... with love and guidence... with LOVE..... lovely....
Jesus is probably my best friend.......I have thought of Him that way for decades (50 years to be exact).
I KNOW that God does not visit destruction and pain and death on people. His Love transcends our actions. His Love accepts our frailties and failures.
This weekend I had the privilege of listening to my 7 year old grandson sing "Jesus Loves Me," "She'll be Commin 'Round the Mountain" and "Hey Jude." I've played with world class musicians, but nothing was as sweet as that slightly off key, slightly off rhythm voice singing his heart out. In much the same way, God finds joy in our efforts, and finds forgiveness in our failures. He doesn't talley our sins and hold us accountable for screwing up. God is LOVE.
I want to add, that I am so very glad to hear you found meaning in your service. So often people go to church out of rote.....never understanding that God's word is being preached in every service in every sanctuary........I love many of the traditions of the RC Church......and when love is preached, it is all for the good of us all........
We must remember that God is a God of Love but that at the second comming He is returning to judge.....both the living and the dead.....those who repent of sin and turn humbly to the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of sin will not come under judgement.....without being covered by the blood of Christ the wrath of God remains.......Also in this world I believe that at times God will chastise those who continue in sin.....sometimes He does not but He will not allow sin to go unpunished at the second comming.............It says in scripture that God disciplines those He loves......At times God may choose to remove His hand of protection.....He is patient and long sufferring not wishing that any should perish but come to repentance and FAITH in the atonning sacrifice of Jesus.......He is a God of Mercy and Love.....He is also Righteous and Just........Unfortunately His righteousness and justice are aspects of God which some people find offensive....
.We must remember that God is a God of Love but that at the second comming He is returning to judge.....both the living and the dead.....those who repent of sin and turn humbly to the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of sin will not come under judgement.....without being covered by the blood of Christ the wrath of God remains.......Also in this world I believe that at times God will chastise those who continue in sin.....sometimes He does not but He will not allow sin to go unpunished at the second comming.............It says in scripture that God disciplines those He loves......At times God may choose to remove His hand of protection.....He is patient and long sufferring not wishing that any should perish but come to repentance and FAITH in the atonning sacrifice of Jesus.......He is a God of Mercy and Love.....He is also Righteous and Just........Unfortunately His righteousness and justice are aspects of God which some people find offensive.....
We must remember that God is a God of Love but that at the second comming He is returning to judge.....both the living and the dead.....those who repent of sin and turn humbly to the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of sin will not come under judgement.....without being covered by the blood of Christ the wrath of God remains.......Also in this world I believe that at times God will chastise those who continue in sin.....sometimes He does not but He will not allow sin to go unpunished at the second comming.............It says in scripture that God disciplines those He loves......At times God may choose to remove His hand of protection.....He is patient and long sufferring not wishing that any should perish but come to repentance and FAITH in the atonning sacrifice of Jesus.......He is a God of Mercy and Love.....He is also Righteous and Just........Unfortunately His righteousness and justice are aspects of God which some people find offensive....
This is the Truth......God is not mocked......He is who He is
This is the Truth......God is not mocked......He is who He is
But I would like to remind everyone the question was what is YOUR image of God.... everyone has their own personal image apparently.... perhaps we all do not agree... as the man on the plane did not agree with the Priest giving the homily today....
The Jesus Vessif knows is not the Jesus I know........I have no idea who that Jesus is, but the one I know has, as a primary component, love. In fact, I asked Him about judgment once.....He told me that He didn't have to condemn, people condemned themselves......all MY Jesus has to do is forgive.......
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