TSR Christian Society (X-SOC) Episode IV: A New Hope
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Original post by Aula
Fasting and prayer and church at 3?
Oh, when does one break fast?
Original post by Aula
Maybe it's a catholic thing? It's just the name for the Wednesday of Holy Week. Traditionally because it's the day Judas met with the priests.
Never heard of it, makes sense now though
Original post by TitanCream
Hey guys, what is a good way to celebrate Good Friday?
Being with family and going to church for a short Easter service?
How are you going to spend the day?
15. “He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces.” (Isaiah 25:8)
16. “But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; on him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and by his stripes we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5)
God bless this Good Friday.
16. “But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; on him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and by his stripes we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5)
God bless this Good Friday.
Happy easter everyone and lets celebrate the resurrection of of Lord Jesus.
Psalms 103:1,2
Praise the Lord, my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
2 Praise the Lord, my soul,
and forget not all his benefits—
Psalms 103:1,2
Praise the Lord, my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
2 Praise the Lord, my soul,
and forget not all his benefits—
Hope you all don't mind if I share a Holy Saturday reflection written by a Roman Catholic Jesuit priest. It's not Catholic-specific but very wise, and I thought it might help one or two of us in here:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We live in Holy Saturday
Most of our lives are spent in Holy Saturday. In other words, most of our days are not filled with the unbearable pain of a Good Friday. Nor are they suffused with the unbelievable joy of an Easter. Some days are indeed times of great pain and some are of great joy, but most are…in between.
We are an Easter people, to be sure but also a Holy Saturday people.
Most of our days are, in fact, times of waiting, as the disciples waited during Holy Saturday. We’re waiting. Waiting to get into a good school. Waiting to meet the right person. Waiting to get pregnant. Waiting to get a job. Waiting for diagnosis from the doctor. Waiting for things at work to improve. Waiting for the results of our physical therapy to help us feel better. Waiting that relationship to improve. Waiting for life just to get...better.
But there are different kinds of waiting.
There, for example, is the wait of despair. Here we know--at least we think we know--that things could never get better, that God could never, ever do anything with our situations. Nothing will, or could, ever change.
This may be the kind of waiting that forced the fearful disciples to hide behind closed doors on Holy Saturday, cowering in terror. Of course they could be forgiven; after Jesus was executed they were probably in danger of being rounded up and executed by the Roman authorities. (Something tells me, though, that the women disciples, who overall proved themselves better friends than the men during the Passion, were more hopeful.)
Three years ago, the time before the papal conclave saw a lot of that kind of waiting, much of it from otherwise intelligent commentators and thoughtful op-ed writers, and some of it even from some believers. The church with all of its problems—sexual abuse scandals, financial mismanagement, increasing irrelevance—was doomed, we were told over and over. Mired in insurmountable problems, they said, which could never be addressed. And of course, said the doubters, the College of Cardinals would never, ever, ever, ever, be able to elect anyone who might do things differently, who could shake things up, who could give the church a sense of renewal. Since the cardinals were all were all cut from the same cloth and so hidebound, we were told, they would never be able to make any kind of bold decision. The notion that the Holy Spirit might work within that group, human as it was, was set aside, rejected, and even laughed at. The Holy Spirit? Please. The idea that a new pope might approach things differently, speak differently, act differently than his predecessors? Please.
Hearing this from believers was surprising, to say the least. Because these people were waiting in despair. And this is not the waiting that Christians are called to.
Then there is the wait of passivity, as if everything were up to "fate." In this waiting there is no despair, but not much anticipation of anything good either. It's the wait of "Whatever." This is also not the waiting what we are called to.
We are called to the wait of the Christian, which is called hope. It is an active waiting; it knows that, even in the worst of situations, even in the darkest times, God is powerfully at work. Even if we can’t see it clearly right now. The disciples’ fear after Good Friday was understandable; but we, who know how the story turned out, who know that Jesus will rise from the dead, who know that God is with us, who know that nothing will be impossible for God, are called to wait in faithful hope. And to look carefully for signs of the new life that are always right around the corner--to look, just like a few of the disciples were doing on Holy Saturday.
Because change is always possible, renewal is always waiting, and hope is never dead.
Fr James Martin SJ
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We live in Holy Saturday
Most of our lives are spent in Holy Saturday. In other words, most of our days are not filled with the unbearable pain of a Good Friday. Nor are they suffused with the unbelievable joy of an Easter. Some days are indeed times of great pain and some are of great joy, but most are…in between.
We are an Easter people, to be sure but also a Holy Saturday people.
Most of our days are, in fact, times of waiting, as the disciples waited during Holy Saturday. We’re waiting. Waiting to get into a good school. Waiting to meet the right person. Waiting to get pregnant. Waiting to get a job. Waiting for diagnosis from the doctor. Waiting for things at work to improve. Waiting for the results of our physical therapy to help us feel better. Waiting that relationship to improve. Waiting for life just to get...better.
But there are different kinds of waiting.
There, for example, is the wait of despair. Here we know--at least we think we know--that things could never get better, that God could never, ever do anything with our situations. Nothing will, or could, ever change.
This may be the kind of waiting that forced the fearful disciples to hide behind closed doors on Holy Saturday, cowering in terror. Of course they could be forgiven; after Jesus was executed they were probably in danger of being rounded up and executed by the Roman authorities. (Something tells me, though, that the women disciples, who overall proved themselves better friends than the men during the Passion, were more hopeful.)
Three years ago, the time before the papal conclave saw a lot of that kind of waiting, much of it from otherwise intelligent commentators and thoughtful op-ed writers, and some of it even from some believers. The church with all of its problems—sexual abuse scandals, financial mismanagement, increasing irrelevance—was doomed, we were told over and over. Mired in insurmountable problems, they said, which could never be addressed. And of course, said the doubters, the College of Cardinals would never, ever, ever, ever, be able to elect anyone who might do things differently, who could shake things up, who could give the church a sense of renewal. Since the cardinals were all were all cut from the same cloth and so hidebound, we were told, they would never be able to make any kind of bold decision. The notion that the Holy Spirit might work within that group, human as it was, was set aside, rejected, and even laughed at. The Holy Spirit? Please. The idea that a new pope might approach things differently, speak differently, act differently than his predecessors? Please.
Hearing this from believers was surprising, to say the least. Because these people were waiting in despair. And this is not the waiting that Christians are called to.
Then there is the wait of passivity, as if everything were up to "fate." In this waiting there is no despair, but not much anticipation of anything good either. It's the wait of "Whatever." This is also not the waiting what we are called to.
We are called to the wait of the Christian, which is called hope. It is an active waiting; it knows that, even in the worst of situations, even in the darkest times, God is powerfully at work. Even if we can’t see it clearly right now. The disciples’ fear after Good Friday was understandable; but we, who know how the story turned out, who know that Jesus will rise from the dead, who know that God is with us, who know that nothing will be impossible for God, are called to wait in faithful hope. And to look carefully for signs of the new life that are always right around the corner--to look, just like a few of the disciples were doing on Holy Saturday.
Because change is always possible, renewal is always waiting, and hope is never dead.
Fr James Martin SJ
Original post by The_Lonely_Goatherd
Hope you all don't mind if I share a Holy Saturday reflection written by a Roman Catholic Jesuit priest. It's not Catholic-specific but very wise, and I thought it might help one or two of us in here:
I love this. When you think about how much of life is spent in the waiting phase it becomes a little clearer how something as simple as your attitude towards waiting can affect your general wellbeing and experience of life.
Also, nothing makes me feel as happy to be Christian as the phrase 'we are an Easter people'. For some reason it fills me with immediate joy.
Original post by The_Lonely_Goatherd
......
We are called to the wait of the Christian, which is called hope. It is an active waiting; it knows that, even in the worst of situations, even in the darkest times, God is powerfully at work. Even if we can’t see it clearly right now. The disciples’ fear after Good Friday was understandable; but we, who know how the story turned out, who know that Jesus will rise from the dead, who know that God is with us, who know that nothing will be impossible for God, are called to wait in faithful hope. And to look carefully for signs of the new life that are always right around the corner--to look, just like a few of the disciples were doing on Holy Saturday.
Because change is always possible, renewal is always waiting, and hope is never dead.
Fr James Martin SJ
We are called to the wait of the Christian, which is called hope. It is an active waiting; it knows that, even in the worst of situations, even in the darkest times, God is powerfully at work. Even if we can’t see it clearly right now. The disciples’ fear after Good Friday was understandable; but we, who know how the story turned out, who know that Jesus will rise from the dead, who know that God is with us, who know that nothing will be impossible for God, are called to wait in faithful hope. And to look carefully for signs of the new life that are always right around the corner--to look, just like a few of the disciples were doing on Holy Saturday.
Because change is always possible, renewal is always waiting, and hope is never dead.
Fr James Martin SJ
Yes, so good, especially like this bit
Original post by mscaffrey
I love this. When you think about how much of life is spent in the waiting phase it becomes a little clearer how something as simple as your attitude towards waiting can affect your general wellbeing and experience of life.
Also, nothing makes me feel as happy to be Christian as the phrase 'we are an Easter people'. For some reason it fills me with immediate joy.
Also, nothing makes me feel as happy to be Christian as the phrase 'we are an Easter people'. For some reason it fills me with immediate joy.
I thought it's a beautiful phrase too. And a timely reminder (for me at least) that I need to wait in hope, not in fear. Am always waiting in fear, haha
I often think of myself as waiting with Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane but it's more accurate to think of myself as doing the Holy Saturday waiting. Just need to get into the right mindset for next Lent and hopefully that might alleviate not only the Lord's suffering, but maybe some of mine too
“According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” 1 Peter 1:3
“He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces.” (Isaiah 25:8)
Happy Easter, everyone!
Happy Easter to all! Thanks to those of you who were kind enough to pray for me over the past 1.5 weeks - your faith and prayers kept me going through dark times.
Christ is risen - alleluia! :jebus:
Christ is risen - alleluia! :jebus:
Original post by The_Lonely_Goatherd
Happy Easter to all! Thanks to those of you who were kind enough to pray for me over the past 1.5 weeks - your faith and prayers kept me going through dark times.
Christ is risen - alleluia! :jebus:
Christ is risen - alleluia! :jebus:
Happy Easter
The Original Apostles Gave Testimony
John 21:24-25
This is the disciple who is bearing witness about these things, and who has written these things, and we know that his testimony is true. Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written
John 21:24-25
This is the disciple who is bearing witness about these things, and who has written these things, and we know that his testimony is true. Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written
Acts 1:3, 9
(the twelve at the ascension)
He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God …
And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight
(the twelve at the ascension)
He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God …
And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight
I guess I've gone to that stage in life that if a massive boulder fell on my foot I can say "God is good."
or, if I step on fiery legos, I can say "it is well."
I hope I will be the master of my emotions and practice thankfulness in the middle of difficulties.
Anyway, God bless everyone!
or, if I step on fiery legos, I can say "it is well."
I hope I will be the master of my emotions and practice thankfulness in the middle of difficulties.
Anyway, God bless everyone!
Oh gosh ive been gone for a while and i abandoned this thread. I hope you all had a lovely Easter.
Im a bit late now but I just wanted to share my praise report. Im thanking God for how uni is going so far for me. I have made such amazing God fearing friends and I have had so much experience in just a couple of months. My semester one results were also really good and I cant thank God enough for that.
Hope you all are well
Posted from TSR Mobile
Im a bit late now but I just wanted to share my praise report. Im thanking God for how uni is going so far for me. I have made such amazing God fearing friends and I have had so much experience in just a couple of months. My semester one results were also really good and I cant thank God enough for that.
Hope you all are well
Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by Joannywhite
Oh gosh ive been gone for a while and i abandoned this thread. I hope you all had a lovely Easter.
Im a bit late now but I just wanted to share my praise report. Im thanking God for how uni is going so far for me. I have made such amazing God fearing friends and I have had so much experience in just a couple of months. My semester one results were also really good and I cant thank God enough for that.
Hope you all are well
Posted from TSR Mobile
Im a bit late now but I just wanted to share my praise report. Im thanking God for how uni is going so far for me. I have made such amazing God fearing friends and I have had so much experience in just a couple of months. My semester one results were also really good and I cant thank God enough for that.
Hope you all are well
Posted from TSR Mobile
Yay! Good to hear from you and so glad to hear that things are going so well for you - that's amazing! Praise the Lord! :jebus:
Original post by brent_
I guess I've gone to that stage in life that if a massive boulder fell on my foot I can say "God is good."
or, if I step on fiery legos, I can say "it is well."
I hope I will be the master of my emotions and practice thankfulness in the middle of difficulties.
Anyway, God bless everyone!
or, if I step on fiery legos, I can say "it is well."
I hope I will be the master of my emotions and practice thankfulness in the middle of difficulties.
Anyway, God bless everyone!
I admire you for getting to that stage - I hope and pray that one day, I may get there too
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