We are on a Lenten Journey

03-25-2018Pastoral ReflectionsRev. Brian F. Manning

We often use in "church speak" that we are on a Lenten Journey. We are trying to get someplace and we have to put in the time and effort to get there. For us as Christians, it is Easter. It is clearly the Celebration of the Risen Lord Jesus Christ. Our image and theme is to help us to frame our minds and hearts to ultimately come to a deeper understanding of the meaning of Jesus Christ in our own personal life, and also the lives of everyone. Part of all this is walking with Jesus as he comes closer to Jerusalem, as he enters the City itself, and ultimately his Passion and Death on the Cross. The Passion of Christ is not simply a record of Jesus' suffering and death. If we realize that we are walking with Jesus through all this, then this journey of faith will take on a very deep and rich meaning for us.

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The Faithfulness of God

03-11-2018Pastoral ReflectionsRev. Brian F. Manning

In the passage from 2 Chronicles this weekend the author emphasizes the faithful­ness of God, even though we know that God's people were unfaithful. Out of this faithful love, God sent messengers and prophets to warn all the land of Israel, to call the people to faithfulness and also, as importantly, to love God in return. These special invitations were cruelly spurned. The author composes his scripture to tell us that because of Israel's infidelity and lack of love, Je­rusalem was destroyed, the people lost their home, and the nation was taken into captivity.

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How Open are our Hearts to God?

03-04-2018Pastoral ReflectionsRev. Brian F. Manning

It is said by many people that they need "closure," that they really need to know. There seems to be deep within us the need to know so that we will finally understand something and accept it in our lives. We even want to know many things that we should not know. We are often curious about information and people that is "none of our business." We like mysteries only if we know the answer to it and others do not. We also forget that knowing something also makes us responsible.

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