In reflecting on the Virgin Mary and the gift of human life, the Rev. Dr. Amy C. Schifrin writes, "When a church acts as if no longer believes that the resurrected Christ’s body is truly present at the altar, it would have no reason to believe that He is fully present as Lord in the tabernacle of his mother’s body."
Though it stands as a holy day of obligation for Catholics and a primary Feast of Christ for Lutherans and other non-Catholic Christians, few, I think, actually attend the Ascension service, let alone understand its significance. In fact, up until a few years ago, I did not fully grasp the significance of the Ascension of Jesus Christ either. What fueled my understanding (or lack thereof) was the liturgical practice...
The Rev. Dr. Amy Schifrin writes, "Holy Father, Holy Son, Holy Spirit, Holy people: Imagine that, that we may be one—one in heart, one in mind, one in accord, one in will, God’s will. When we live within the love of Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we are one with one another, and when we are one, when our lives are woven into that one cloth, that...
Dr. James R. Edwards writes, "Looking back on the past four centuries, it may seem that the 'Authorized Version,' as it is known in England, was destined to exert the influence on the English-speaking world that it did. There were a number of exceptionally good English translations before it, however, and the viability of KJV was not guaranteed, and its eventual supremacy even less so," and suggests it succeeded...
The Rev. Kerry L. Bender writes, "Your unique style, voice and personality can be used by God to communicate His truth if it is made subservient to the Word of God. Of course this is key: we must keep our personalities subservient to the Word of God. There is always the danger of allowing the power of a dynamic personality to overtake the power of the gospel. Therefore, it...
