NEW BEGINNINGS, April 1-30, 2023
Wicked words... Gossips are, since time immemorial, that which we normal humans don't like, but often indulge in... And the wise king and preacher declared them reprehensible, having been probably one prime victim of it with his hundreds of wives and concubines, and his immense wealth and properties, some of which may have been grabbed from others, war-losers or his own people... But normal as it may seem, and cruel as it may be, gossip does serve it's purpose: of affirming our conviction for truth, and for using our God-given talents to rise above fake news and ridicule, to prove our detractors wrong, and give them an ounce of shame during their field days... Our Savior though has the best response, when He declared in His passionate suffering moments, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they do" (Luke 23:34); without actually shouting from the top of His lungs as He lay crucified, to correct their misinterpretations... May we not indulge then, in fruitless gossip, which is really primarily caused by envy, pride and ignorance; but dedicate our lives to defending and upholding truth, in humility, integrity and wisdom; because our God knows, and He will pay and reward to each of us our due...
Just the right
cocktail of faith, confidence and wisdom... Sets us up for life... For life,
especially during our time today, is so challenging, uncertain, oppressively
difficult and troublesome; yet, if we just keep in mind how good our God has
always been to us, even against reason, we follow His leading, that we might do
greater things, and receive more and better... For hardships, worries and
anxieties are stressors, that doctors say trigger our fight or flight
response... In different perspectives, we can do both actually: fight and face
our fears in faith and courage, and also learn to flee and let go of our
comfort zones with confidence and wisdom that He will enable us adequately, so
that we might be in the right state, mindset, and time to face and tackle the
next chapter of our life's journey...
A sense of humor is a
sign of intelligence... And we see it and hear that from psychology and mental
health experts... When countries were ranked for happiness, the one at the top
was a rich one, with outstanding social security benefits... Yet, one of the
most desirable countries to be in, and people to be with are those which are
buffeted by most calamities, yet, whose people remained sane, who were able to
live through by not taking themselves seriously, by taking things in stride,
and by believing that even if modern life is challenging, difficult and full of
strife, still there's hope and a reason for joy and mirth... Just as our
Creator who calls Himself Jealous is also the source of Joy, may we go on
through life with the same mindset: to be as passionate with life as need be,
but to see the good out of the bad, the wisdom out of the challenge, the fun
out of chaos and disappointments, and the joy out of our hardships... For that
is what being His child is: a person of humility, pure joy and laughter, devoid
of malice, condescension, pride and ego...
No free lunch... We
like to think that all is well when we get what we desire; but then we realize
that life needs more from us, and in most cases it stresses us out... The good
thing however, is that no matter what we believe in, it is our Creator's ingrained
rule that the good and bad we do come back to us; and there's no escaping from
their consequences... And so whether we give in to what we consider as harmless
indulgences, we have to think long and hard if what we do won't affect our
health and souls, and won't hurt others too... May we learn to nurture those
habits and intentions that give glory to our Maker and that make life better
for others; so we may live and leave this life unburdened, with humble hearts
and hands open, and ready for more and greater things from Him...
Rejected irreplaceable...
It has become cliché that we never know the true value of something or someone
until we lose it... And so it seems with our health, our souls, our
relationships and connections with one another... While all the rest we believe
last only in this physical lifetime, we are convinced that our souls merit
either a reward or condemnation after death... And so, may we not fail to keep
in mind that in all our struggles, even if the world refuse to acknowledge our
worth and reject our capabilities and intentions, we have a God who is always
our help, who is always a whisper and sigh away, who is the one foundation of
our lives, and who will ensure that if we endure in faith, patience and hope,
we become irreplaceable gems and pillars in His kingdom starting in this life
and beyond...
Sin before new life,
and not the other way around... In a sort of informal family reflection, my
siblings and I discussed the current travails of Christianity, and how most of
its problems are from leaders enslaved by either money, or sexual immorality; a
tragic state indeed, for a people whom our Savior called out of darkness into a
life of love, grace and holiness in Him... But all is not yet late; for, like
St. Augustine, if we turn away completely and for all time, from a life of sin
and lust, greed and pride, to fully embrace all that our God wills for us to
be, then, as the Interiority pursued and followed by that great father of the
modern faith, we too can live our faith from the heart, being careful of every
act, when we realize we can never offend Him whose throne is inside us, nor
hurt, oppress and abuse the people He sends our way...
When unspoken
overconfidence is a mark of faith... Most of us are taught that especially in
matters of career and livelihood, we should hold on tightly to what we got, for
that, being a gift from God, is worth keeping for life... But holding on too
much for too long, to the point that we refuse to grow and give a chance for
others actually shows our lack of faith, and us limiting God's ability... For
how can He give more and greater if we close our hands and cling on tightly to
something that will only last for a while in this lifetime?... May we realize
that our God meant for us to live a life both of gratefulness and magnanimity;
that yes, we enjoy every blessing, but that we also open our life and time to
more from Him, while passing on what He has blessed our hands to do, to those
whom He also could pour out His grace and love more...
The two-minute
shopping spree... Is one of my life's greatest dreams; where I am given even
such a short time to buy all my heart's desire for free... It's greedy on the
surface, but actually on deeper reflection, is an example of our God's love for
us, and should be the pattern of our love for one another... For true love
manifests in immeasurable and unlimited generosity and kindness, especially to
those whom we do not know, whom others have every right to hate or resent, whom
others treat as "other", and whom we can normally expect not to
return the favor... And that is selflessness indeed, the love we receive by the
power of Jesus's most glorious and powerful Name, the kind of love that brings
hope, life, salvation and deliverance, eternal life and His kingdom on earth...
Grace follows a chain
of command... It always bears repeating that, "from those who were given
much, much is demanded", which words our Savior stated in another passage
(Luke 12:48)... So much so that we have no right to abuse or oppress others, or
impose heavy burdens on them to get them to do the dirty work while we claim
all the credit... Because really, praise and recognition is individual; and so
we need to be mindful, humble, kind, generous, consistent, perceptive, honest,
transparent and accountable; and give to those who work for us and those below
us appropriate acknowledgement and recognition at the right time too... And
grace has no room for condescension, forgiveness cannot be effective if done in
hypocrisy; for a life truly forgiven and blessed with grace manifests in a life
lived for the glory of our Maker, for the betterment of our fellowman, and for
our own peace and contentment... May grace find us each day, and may we channel
it to everyone we meet each time...
Articulated faith...
Just as we are not really good at what we do if we cannot speak about it in a
cohesive and understandable manner, we are not worth our pay and recognition if
we cannot make a good and credible report of our tasks and accomplishments; all
our claims and theatrics of being a good, spiritual and faithful person don't
have meaning without tact and kindness in speech, without humility in
acknowledging our shortcomings, and not belittling or insulting but respecting
others for theirs, even if we deem them inferior than us... For our witness is
not in speech but in action; and our lives consist not only in efforts but in
deriving meaning from it, and sharing it with others that they may find
inspiration, hope and encouragement...
Lessons online and
mobile... It's always uplifting to be reminded that our life is a journey, that
what happened in the past is done, yet, what we can bring out of them are the
lessons we must not lose, that we may always gain wisdom to know what to do in
the present and in the future... Like classes moved online, where some students
equipped with the right gadgets and electronic connection, with the means
however many or few, but with much willingness and creativity could excel,
while those lacking one or more would find it difficult to keep up; modern life
too is friendly to those who have the means, and challenging for those who lack
certain things... However, it is not all the gadgets and the bling, the
connection and the means that determine success, but our willingness to thrive
in life and to do the best with whatever we got... For like the apostle said
and like many leadership experts say, in whatever situation, the creatives, the
ones who take courage in pressing on regardless of setbacks and failures, the
ones who can always find the good in everything and ways to turn the bad in
their lives into something good and meaningful, who will endure... May we keep
these things in mind as we press on steadily forward...
The better social
security... It's a reality we all must deal with one day: with all the crises
the world is facing right now, we will soon realize that our investments, our
retirement funds, and our savings will never by physically enough to last us
the end of our days... And so many people in this generation believe that they
may not have to retire at all, and continue toiling to provide for their
economic needs all their days... But one thing I observe in populous places
such as ours and in our culture though, is that even in old age, if we can
enjoy the company of friends and neighbors, a life financially challenged and
poor can still be happy and fulfilling, simply because God has planned and
worked out that there is company, concern and support when we need it... May we
learn to nurture true friendships; for like wedding vows, we know and believe
we have silently pledged the same with each of our friends; we will and are
there through hardship and joy...
Not that prosperity
gospel... One of the accusations made against the hypocrisy of the western
evangelical church is its emphasis on the prosperity gospel; where it preaches
that material blessings are God's manifestation of favor in our lives, and its
members being made to understand that it has to happen all the time; so that
lacking wisdom and maturity, many of its adherents scoff at those who
continuously face economic difficulties as lacking in faith; in direct contrast
to our Savior's command not to love and gain the world yet lose our souls, and
to always help the poor and those in need... Although there are well-meaning,
generous groups, but the prosperity teaching as interpreted by some so-called
mega church messengers distorts the whole picture of God's power and promise:
yes, His financial provision will always be there, unfortunately, not only for
the good, but for the evil too... Yet, what sets apart the faithful is that
these blessings come not with a burden (to show the world that we are indeed
prosperous so that we enter into debts and contracts, long term mortgages,
credit card debts to accumulate more blings and shiny and new things because
anyway, "He will provide"); but in the confidence, courage and wisdom
that everyday, we live beneath our means, and for the excess, we share with
those in need, regardless of who they may be, and we give our share for the
furtherance of His kingdom's work here on earth... May we truly manifest His
prosperity in our lives, primarily in being generous as He is, in being loving
and understanding, in being helpful and courteous, in being noble and
accountable, and in embracing all kinds of people who need our time, our effort
and our support that their lives may be better, that they may have
enlightenment and hope... For the prosperity the prophet spoke about is not
only here on earth, but an investment, a planting and nurturing of lives and
souls now and until the great beyond...
Every dawn is dawn prayer
time... One doesn't need constant reminder and invitation to join this very
basic act of faith of whatever religion; for indeed, the chance to express
gratitude to our God that He called us to rise and wake up for another day, ahead
of the sunrise, and before we get bombarded by the chaos, noise and stress of
everyday living, is sublime and healthful, not only spiritually but
physically... Gratitude and holy praise must be the foundation of our souls,
manifested as we go throughout the day when we express care and concern to one
and all, regardless of who they may be, whether they come up to our
expectations or not... For it is our reaction when one or something is lacking
and absent from what we want or like that show our true character and level of
maturity; just as surely as alone in the stillness of early morning shows what
our priorities truly are--whether that be anchoring ourselves to the will and
plan of our Maker by listening to how He manifests His glory in creation, or to
our own selfish, greedy and envious agendas... May it be the former...
Paying forward, giving
back... Everyday there are unreported tales of countless heroes who give their
time, energy, talent, resources and lives to save another, or to make their
lives better... Then there are those who hold on to the conviction, such as I
heard in the seminar yesterday, that after they have spent some years working
in a corporate setting, applying their knowledge and skills to enrich the
businesses of their bosses, they are now at a time to share, to give back to
the community and pay forward to the next generation, by facilitating their
learning of more knowledge, wisdom and skills that they may use in the future
and for the rest of their lives... And we call them teachers... And so whether
we be called upon as heroes, appointed into office or position, hired and
recruited for the job, or even doing the "100-to-1 ratio of
effort-to-remuneration" as educators and support groups for the youth, may
we emulate the philosophy of our God and Savior to give ourselves wholly to the
task; in humility and understanding, without selfishness and greed, neither
putting others down nor stepping all over them to climb to the top, not
promoting ourselves nor bragging about how good and knowledgeable we are, how
great is our status and authority; but in patience, consideration, in
generosity and love...
Where toxic ties find
their limits... Many of us are like scalded cats: we often grow wary around
those who have abused and hurt us verbally and physically, which is basically,
our natural instinct to survive sane and whole... And it is especially true in human
relationships: we find it necessary to forgive and reconcile with those whom we
cannot live without; but then just as our God created us well, so should we
value ourselves, so that one has no choice but to abandon toxic and abusive
relationships, which we can understand those who have been victims of to be the
right thing to do... But in every other case where each of us are given the
chance to relate to others, true forgiveness and grace first manifests in us
being kind and courteous, regardless of status, gender and race; and true humanity
recognizes in humility that we cannot live without our Creator's everyday
mercies, and the care and concern, even the acknowledgement of our fellowman...
Trash to treasure...
When we spring clean, we often find things we thought should have been thrown
away, but are actually still good to use for today and other days... And
strangely so is life; when we strip ourselves of what is familiar and usual,
when we step out of our cobwebbed comfort zones, we discover things, skills,
talents, creativity, that help us develop into greater and better people...
Seems like our story is geared this way too: when the king was driven away from
the throne by his rebel son and mutineer, he discovered the true people who
will stay with him for life and through hardship... Yes, the road may be rocky
and long, unfamiliar and scary, but if it is a new path, we can only trust and
hope that our God who promised to be with us forever, will not fail us; and
that even in the most doubtful, dangerous, deep and desolate ways, He will
never cease to amaze and fill us with wonder and awe at the greatness of His
grace, mercy and love; so that each moment, we will find hope, strength,
abundance and peace...
Nothing too mundane...
In our everyday struggles, even when we come to life's turning points, we
always have mixed emotions; for each day means that we are one day less of our
struggles and existence, but one day closer to our goals and breakthroughs...
And that is our source of hardship and hope too; for much as we want to always
enjoy the good, the comfortable, the familiar, we believe that without letting
go of what we have, we could not receive the better and the greater that our
God has in store for us... And so we persevere in trust and faith, that
everyday He will provide, He will lead and guide, and always will see us
through, with never a moment wasted, but each second giving us a good lesson in
love, patience, grace, wisdom, strength and endurance...
Dispenser of hope and
faith... By this we know that our faith and convictions are true: when we are
able to share the same, with hope and encouragement to others, unobtrusively,
in patience and humility and wisdom... For the Word must hear fruit in our lives,
not to edify us or impress people with our knowledge, skill, a loud and
aggressive voice, or an assertive persona; but the one truly spoken and
breathed with the Holy Spirit, likewise breathes life, love and care,
generosity, wisdom and understanding, patience and peace...
Politically incorrect...
Many people nowadays scoff at those who share their faith, calling them out for
hypocrisy and pretense; and that is a sad judgment on those who sincerely want
to share the Word out of love and concern... It is true nonetheless that many
of those whom we think are doing great when it comes to propagating modern
Christianity, are actually just doing it for show, for fame, for the money, and
to give in to their lusts and pride... But we mustn't forget that before our
Savior commissioned the early church to preach, He first blessed those who will
bring peace, calling them 'sons (and daughters) of God'... So that essentially,
even if He commanded to baptize and make disciples, His aim actually was to do
it out of love, in a position not from superiority and condemnation, but
respect and understanding... For there will be those who will not be convinced
with what we say, especially if they see we are not living up to it; yet, to
embrace all kinds of people with love and understanding, even if it means letting
alone those that insist on living life by their own terms, but praying silently
that somehow God will enlighten and guide their path, is the true manifestation
of being His children... For as the apostle said, "it is a dreadful thing
to fall into the hands of God" (Hebrews 10:30-31); so that those who hurt
and abuse others, oppress and shamelessly take advantage of them for their own
benefit will only have His vengeance hounding them at every turn... Yet, those
same dreadful Hands are where the greatest mercy and grace come from too... As
we spend the rest of our days, may we remain steadfast and strong, enduring in
whatever situation... For that is our true gospel, a life blessed by the Word,
an eternity in His kingdom, that starts now here in the land of living and
until the great beyond...
In our most
vulnerable... As we embark on new paths each day, many of us feel quite
defensive; thinking that because we have struggled so hard to be where we are now,
we deserve to keep it, and so we flaunt it as a mark of pride and territory...
But all throughout the Word and history, God works great things for people who
don't hesitate to go out of their comfort zones, those who don't doubt stepping
out into unfamiliar worlds, getting to know new people, being immersed in new
situations... A famous author once said that may be the reason why people don't
have roots like plants, because we are meant to always be on the move... Yes,
indeed, how can we fulfill our mission and destiny of being stewards of earth
and life if we remain cocooned in what is comfortable and familiar, if we
choose to dwell forever where we feel strong and capable?... And so, we realize
that if we are to reach true fulfillment and actualization, we trust that our
God holds our future, and boldly go where we haven't been; for even if we
become vulnerable like lost children, our Father will never let us down nor
abandon us; His power and love are strongest and greatest in us when we are at
our weakest...
The healing and
life-giving God... Throughout history, different religions and cultures
manifest acts of faith and medication to get healed from illnesses and diseases...
It seems that man's nature has always been geared towards the desire to live
longer and in good health, which is really our survival instinct, our Creator's
mandate for life and healing despite our physical mortality... And no other
time in our existence has this been greatly challenged than now, especially
since good health does not only include the physical, but more so, the mental
part of our being... And that seems to be where our God meets us too... For we
do not only have His risen Son as our Healer and Good Shepherd, He is also the
Savior of our souls and minds... And this is one of the greatest tests of our
faith and conviction; for wherever we may be, at whatever place and time, in
whatever situation, whether in fellowship with others or alone, we live, we
survive, we thrive, we endure if we can hold on steadfastly that our God is
there with us, constantly renewing our spirits and giving us strength, giving
us hope and encouragement to always rise up and face another day in a healthy
and sound mind and body, until the end of our days...
Resurrection's breath
of life... Our story today is what seals our faith, but sadly much
misunderstood in a lot of ways... We often go off 364 days a year doing our own
thing, giving in to our selfish ambition and pride even at the expense of other
people having a shot at a better life and dignity, espousing our beliefs and
principles on others, especially those whom we think lesser and lower than us;
all passing by the scripture that says that when our Savior appeared, He first
declared peace, then breathed the first gift of His Holy Spirit around seven
weeks before the Tongues of Fire and the Glossolalia, and capping such gift
with the declaration of the power of forgiveness... For indeed, His resurrection
has that consequence: we who say we believe in Him should first of all bring
and promote peace in action not just words, we bring life and make sure that
life-giving breath and its clearest manifestation of clean air is made available
to all by not polluting it, and we exhibit power over our human emotions
through forgiveness and rising over our resentments and depressions... Because
by His rising to life again before that fateful first day of the week, and for
all time, we know that wherever we find ourselves in the future, He is already
there, and that He promised to be with us even to the end of the age (of humanity),
even to the end of our age...
Incomparable suffering...
Since two thousand years ago, as our faith was being birthed, and until now
even with reenactors, none of us could really recreate the magnitude and depth
of experience, and the impact our Savior had in His passion and suffering,
except many of those who suffered at the hands of torturers and executioners
throughout history; and that may be the reason why He told us to "take up
our cross daily and follow Him"; because life indeed is passion, suffering
for momentary joy, toil for a little happiness; but fulfillment comes from
obedience to His example and leading, humility and kindness to any and all
regardless of their beliefs and persuasions, wisdom and understanding in
whatever situation... As we follow Him, we are led by His example of humility
in the face of humiliation, rejection and a feeling of abandonment in death, to
ultimate victory and triumph in His resurrection... As we believe, we take up
life's daily challenges and harshest trials, from people's misunderstanding and
ridicule, to ultimate neglect and abandonment, from want and lack of even the
basic essentials of living and human dignity, to outright persecutions, threats
and attacks; as we live our days, we have hope and confidence and peace,
because our Savior had been there, He shows the way, and He makes a way...
Service is the essence
of humanity... It saddens us a bit that a former leader of a great nation was
indicted on charges, strongly evidenced at that, of several conducts unbecoming
to his former political, civil and even-until-now-commercial and corporate status
and position... And it makes us think of the heart that lies in each of us,
that is, whether we have the heart for goods or service... Because in the world
of commerce, all business activities are done either to produce, deliver and
consume a tangible good or product, or to process, render and avail of a
certain service... The former however talks about basic human physiological
needs and wants, while the latter often relates to our sense of identity,
belonging, acknowledgment and recognition... And that seems to be the moral of
the story today too; especially as our Savior Himself imparted on us the heart
that He wants us to have: to not only consider what gratifies us physically and
emotionally, but those that we can do to make life better for others, and to
draw them closer to Him--the source of love, light, hope and peace... May we
truly live out the essence of who we are, the purpose of which He came, suffered
and died for: the salvation of our souls from our own greedy, selfish and
destructive ways, and a life abundant with His mercy, grace, love and peace;
that have no other way to go but to pour out and radiate from us, to the lives of
all those whom we touch each day...
The gift of impact...
A very perceptive kid I met once said that some of us have the gift of being
like a "perfume", that is, we are actually leaving a part of who we
are, our influence and impact to any and all that we meet, however fleeting the
meeting may be... And that is a nice way of putting things in the proper
perspective, encouraging us to be mindful of the things we say and do, and largely
reminding us to make each moment count in order to make life better for others,
to help make each situation bring only what is good and just and fair...
Indeed, no amount of throwing our weight around compares to bringing life and
hope to others; just as surely as dishing out comments, criticisms, even nuggets
and aphorisms could not really impress people about our extensive knowledge and
expertise, except we share such wisdom with tact and consideration, with
discernment and understanding of other people's personalities, preferences, qualifications,
capabilities, contributions, experiences and issues... Because we can only show
that we are God's people if we can bring hope and peace, be tactful and
courteous, be responsible, accountable and kind, as we share His manifold blessings
to one and all...
Forever home... Some
people wonder why Christianity has so many denominations, with many different
interpretations about the Word, and emphasizing on many different parts of it,
often conflicting with each other; that they are amazed why the faith and its different
movements last until now, considering that among the greatest religions in the
world, historically, it is the second youngest (for Buddhism, Hinduism, and
Judaism have indeed been with humanity far longer, and Islam being the only one
younger)... And some say too that Christianity's membership is fast declining
in the modern world... I observe however that it is not really declining in the
traditional sense of the word, but more like undergoing through a process of
transformation; from one that is convoluted with pride and the selfish agenda
of many of its so-called messengers, to one that runs closer to the heart of
its Maker and Founder... Yes, the faith indeed is strong, so that no amount of
sexual immorality, moral scandal, political machination, financial
mismanagement and bureaucratic corruption can kill the Vine; that is, we are
seeing the church of our Savior in the process of coming out of its own Babylon,
which enslaved it in traditions and rituals which bled it dry of resources, of
energy, of love and empathy, spirit and truth, talent and fire; to one that
indeed is truly coming to abide by the love, the mercy and grace, the honesty
and transparency, the humility and accountability which our Lord and Savior has
ordained it to be... In our days where tragedies, trials, tribulations,
calamities and destruction seem to be the everyday reality, our faith,
confidence and peace grow stronger; for we know, more than His promised return
in the physical and metaphysical form, we as God's people are truly coming
home...
When we are weak, then
we are strong... It is difficult for most people to accept and reveal their
vulnerabilities; that is why many of us feign humility, thinking that if we
show an outward appearance of such, that is enough to convince others to
believe we are being transparent and true... But real humility is often unseen,
and admitting we are nothing and we are weak before God and people can never be
verbally declared; they are only felt and realized in our interactions with our
Maker and with others... If we can step back from our spots in the limelight of
life, if we can slow down from the rat race of fame and status, if we can
maintain good and safe distance from being too immersed in communion with
others and take a healthy break from prying out of envy into their lives, if we
can embrace both want and abundance; and all the while still remain hopeful, joyful,
faithful, peaceful, trusting and confident; that is when we reveal we are most
human, when we are weakest and most in need of grace, and that is when and
where the greatest extent of our God's power, favor, love and mercy can pour
unto us generously and most fruitfully...
With everything in us,
we give praise... Praising our Creator shouldn't only happen on Sundays but everyday,
not only with words and songs but in everything we do... Like our story today,
all creation in its variety, in its beauty and wonder, some gruesome and some
amazing, shows the magnificent variety, width and depth of His wisdom and love;
so too our life with its ups and downs, triumphs and tragedies, good and bad,
shows us how good and merciful He is, and how everything works for good
according to His time and rhythm... May that give us hope and courage, patience
and faith...
DEI in the family of
God... An online christian writer said that one of the reasons the evangelical church
in the west has declined is because of judgementalism, or judging others who do
not subscribe to their beliefs as doomed and inferior... Contrary to our Savior's
desire to save all people who ever lived by drawing them close to Him and His
loving and merciful ways; especially with the prior president of the US, it
seems evangelical christianity is on the sure road to fascism, ostracizing, cancelling,
persecuting now (contrary to modern day fake news that it is the one being persecuted)
and criminalizing those that do not subscribe to its Man-made creeds that are
contrary to what our Savior preached, even duly elected world and local
leaders... And that seems to be the case in our story too... Different cultures
use tattoos as a symbol of identity and culture, yet conservatives appropriate
Jewish law on demeaning it, forgetting that our great God and Savior looks
beyond our skin markings and color, to the person beyond, and that such
ordinance was intended to Mosaic Israel; for what can we say and do about the
Jews, some of whom became Christians too who were tattooed during the Holocaust?...
And so we realize that like what our Savior said, it is not what whitewashes
our outside, what makes us clean visually that saves us, but what is inside, in
our hearts... May our hearts be truly cleaned of ignorance (particularly of
language, culture, life's truth and ways, biological processes and human behavior),
that we might learn to live our faith, and fulfill our duties as peace ambassadors
of our God, and vessels of His living water for all the world...
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