Charis

week of October 5

Dan — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 19:20:54 +0000

Almighty and everlasting God, you are always more ready to hear than we to pray, and to give more than we either desire or deserve: Pour upon your church the abundance of your mercy, forgiving us those things of which our conscience is afraid, and giving us those good things for which we are not [...] Related posts:

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two tools for developing a love filter

Dan — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 15:05:06 +0000

I concluded my last post with the idea that Jesus' wisdom in dealing with difficult people was the result of filtering their actions and His responses through love--what I termed a "love filter." I should note here that a love filter isn't rose-colored glasses; choosing to filter people and the world through love is not choosing to ignore problems or act as if none exist. We saw last time that Jesus didn't ignore problems; rather, He had the wisdom to know when to confront and when to overlook. So the question becomes, "How do we love as Jesus loved? How do we develop that wisdom?" This is by no means an exhaustive list, but here are two things that are helping me. Related posts:

return of the annoying people; or, I need a love filter Getting an eternal perspective on annoying people helped some, but...
choosing maturity, choosing forgiveness After reading yesterday's post on praying for our enemies, Not...
free to love Alan Creech posted a beautiful, insightful, provocative passage from Thomas...

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return of the annoying people; or, I need a love filter

Dan — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 11:24:23 +0000

Getting an eternal perspective on annoying people helped some, but it didn't solve the problem. For the last few days, I've been having fantasies of telling this person--let's call him Alan--of telling Alan off: kindly and gently, but still telling him off. Related posts:

two tools for developing a love filter I concluded my last post with the idea that Jesus'...
love covers many sins In this meditation from *By Faith Alone*, Martin Luther considers...
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week of September 28

Dan — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 10:26:21 +0000

O God, you declare your almighty power chiefly in showing mercy and pity: Grant me the fullness of your grace, that I, running to obtain your promises, may become a partaker of your heavenly treasure; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and [...] Related posts:

“The Prayer Appointed for the Week” One of the things I love about The Divine Hours...
the good news Yesterday, Chris taught one of the best lessons I've heard...
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getting some perspective on annoying people

Dan — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 15:02:46 +0000

I was writing in my journal yesterday about my frustration--my anger, really--with a coworker, using ink on paper as a way to vent and perhaps to find some perspective. I wrote,

"I feel like he is often--always?--judging me. And he is arrogant--and insecure, and well-intentioned. But he doesn't extend grace to others. Should I expect an atheist to be grace-full? I suppose not."

love covers many sins In this meditation from *By Faith Alone*, Martin Luther considers...
Your promise gives me life *The Little Book of Hours* has included readings from Psalm...
two tools for developing a love filter I concluded my last post with the idea that Jesus'...

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week of September 21

Dan — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 14:22:26 +0000

Grant that I, Lord, may not be anxious about earthly things, but love things heavenly; and even now, while I am placed among things that are passing away, hold fast to those that shall endure; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirt, one God, for ever and [...] Related posts:

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week of September 14

Dan — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 10:49:25 +0000

O God, because without you we are not able to please you, mercifully grant that your Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule my heart; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Related posts:“The Prayer Appointed for the Week” One [...] Related posts:

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week of July 27

Dan — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 10:08:48 +0000

O God, the protector of all who trust in you, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy: Increase and multiply upon all your faithful people your mercy; that, with you as our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we lose not the things eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, for ever and ever. Amen. Related posts:

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Mary Magdalene, passionate witness

Dan — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 14:49:22 +0000

In honor of Mary Magdalene's feast day, I reviewed what the Bible actually says about this most controversial of Jesus' disciples. As I noted, this Mary has enough to recommend her to our consideration without the speculations of prostitution or marriage to Jesus. Perhaps the most obvious lesson from her life is that God heals and restores. Both Mark and Luke note that Jesus healed Mary of seven demons. Some scholars take this literally, while others suggest that seven is used to symbolize the severity of her physical, non-demonic illness. Whatever your view of demonic activity, Mary had a serious problem and Jesus solved it. Completely. Related posts:

Will the real Mary Magdalene please stand up? July 22 is the feast of Mary Magdalene in...
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Will the real Mary Magdalene please stand up?

Dan — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 15:30:00 +0000

July 22 is the feast of Mary Magdalene in the Roman Catholic, Anglican, and Orthodox churches. Because of the popularity of The DaVinci Code, this Mary has received a lot of attention in the last few years, though most of it has been based on poor scholarship or fabrication of "facts" about her (this article in the Wikipedia gives a good run-down of the various ideas about Mary Magdalene and their origins). Among Christians, it is commonly--and mistakenly--believed that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute and the woman who anointed Jesus' feet; she's also often identified with Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus. Much of this conflation of different women is based on a sermon given by Pope Gregory I in 591; as an aside, it's interesting to note that one man's misunderstanding of Scripture could have such a widespread acceptance. I remember hearing in Sunday school or sermons that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute who anointed Christ. However, the Gospels don't support this idea at all. So what do we know about Mary? Related posts:

Mary Magdalene, passionate witness In honor of Mary Magdalene's feast day, I reviewed what...
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