Prayer for Sunday, October 21

Purify our conscience, Almighty God, by your daily visitation, that your Son Jesus Christ, at his coming, may find in us a mansion prepared for himself; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Bella (and Once)

On Saturday, Brooke and I went to see "Bella" starring Eduardo Verestegui of Mexico. We had seen the trailer when seeing another movie. It was playing at our local theatre that carries some independent films. We checked it out and it had a good rating. It won awards at a number of film festivals... so we went.



First up, when the film started, one of the film companies shown was "Metanoia Films" - metanoia is Greek for "repentance", so my interest was definitely peaked at that point. It is a sweet and moving film about healing and restoration, love and family; and it portrays Mexicans / Latinos in an overdue positive light.

Eduardo Verestegui is considered a Tijuana Tom Cruise or Brad Pitt of Mexico, but apparently had some kind of conversion a while back when he realized his life was empty because he was living just for himself. He and a few friends started Metanoia Films to produce quality films that would not only entertain but make a difference - which for him includes portraying Latinos as heros (which for him means honorable, faithful, people of integrity, full of wisdom and beauty), as well as encouraging people to live with a sense of mission and to live lives of value... Anyway, you can check out more buzz about it at the site below:

bellamoviesite

Check out my earlier post regarding the movie "Once" which comes out on video tomorrow - another great independent film.

echoes of Isaiah 11

I have started receiving a news post regarding news of Israel, called "The Lekarev Report" - the following report was heartening, and reminded me of Isaiah 11.

Ten attackers descended on four Jewish students on a New York subway this past Friday and a Muslim student intervened to help them.

Hassan Askari fought off the attackers, giving Walter Adler time to call for help. Askari is being hailed as a hero for taking on the 10 attackers who singled out the Jewish students for attack.

"I did what I thought was right," Askari said later. "I did what I could to help." Askari is a student at Berkeley College in Manhatten and suffered a broken nose and lip wounds from being beaten by the attackers. Eight men and two women pleaded not guilty but a NYC officer said the charges may well be upgraded from assault to hate crimes.

"This is what's great about New York," Adler said after the incident. "A random Muslim kid helps some Jewish kids."


6 The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them.
7 The cow and the bear shall graze; their young shall lie down together;
and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
8 The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra,
and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder's den.
9 They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain;
for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.
10 In that day the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples;
of him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious.

more on Israel / Palestine

I just came across this statement by the Evangelicals for Social Action (ESA) in favor of the two-state solution in Israel. Apparently there's a group, "Christians United For Israel," that is opposing the two-state solution and has pledged to pressure the White House, etc.

A long time ago (the 70's?) Ron Sider, the president of ESA, wrote a well-received book entitled "Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger." Ron Sider has been on my radar screen ever since.
ESA Statement on Israel/Palestine

Below is the main page of the website if you want to sign on the petition. I'm praying about it and probably will do so, just for my own coming to conviction, if nothing else.
ESA

What's rumbling around in my head as I write this is yesterday's lesson from the Older Testament, Isaiah 11:1-10. The Spirit anointed rooted of Jesse will bring about this amazing world where the wolf will lie down with the lamb, the cow with the bear, and a little child will lead them... where they will not hurt or destroy on all God's holy mountain for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of God as the waters cover the earth.

How will he do this?? Certainly when he comes again to make all things right, but the Scriptures also seem to indicate (eg. Ephesians 3) that he is also doing so now, and wills that things being moving that way even now, through his people.

While Israel must secure itself, it must also exemplify their messianic vision at some level. Only God can ultimately secure anyone. And I think God must be trusted to deliver the exact borders that were promised to Abraham. Couldn't working for peace, and "giving up" land actually be a sign of faith and not that terrorism wins concessions.

Lastly, while I know that the U.N. is pretty worthless these days, I believe it was the U.N. that voted at the end of WWII to partition the land between a state for the Jews and one for the Palestinians, with actual borders defined (I think). But instead of the U.N. it is the U.S. brokering the deal, with a president pledged to bring it about before he leaves office - on the one hand it's a great goal to have and would be a great legacy, but on the other hand it's extremely dangerous to try to pressure something like this through...

Prayer for the Second Sunday of Advent

Merciful God, who sent your messengers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation: Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins, that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

St. Nicholas

On Wednesday at communion we remembered (a day early) the feast day of St. Nicholas of Myra (December 6). It was a great reminder. Then on the God's Politics blog (Jim Wallis of Sojourners) there was a post by Abayea Pelt on St. Nick. The picture and the quote below from an Orthodox Church (link) website are from the God's Politics blog (link).

Saint Nicholas, the Wonderworker, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia, is famed as a great saint pleasing unto God. ... From his childhood, Nicholas thrived on the study of divine scripture; by day he would not leave church, and by night he prayed and read books, making himself a worthy dwelling place for the Holy Spirit.

There was a certain formerly rich inhabitant of Patara, whom St Nicholas saved from great sin. The man had three grown daughters, and in desperation he planned to sell their bodies so they would have money for food. The saint, learning of the man's poverty and of his wicked intention, secretly visited him one night and threw a sack of gold through the window. With the money the man arranged an honorable marriage for his daughter. St Nicholas also provided gold for the other daughters, thereby saving the family from falling into spiritual destruction. In bestowing charity, St Nicholas always strove to do this secretly and to conceal his good deeds.

During his life, the saint worked many miracles. One of the greatest was the deliverance from death of three men unjustly condemned by the governor, who had been bribed. The saint boldly went up to the executioner and took his sword, already suspended over the heads of the condemned. The governor, denounced by St Nicholas for his wrong doing, repented and begged for forgiveness.

Green Christmas Trees?

Here's a link to a website devoted to environmentalism from a clear Christian perspective. This link in particular talks a bit about responsible stewardship with regard to Christmas trees... FYI

Restoring Eden