The SIGN of the Cross .... brings LIFE in place of Death ! The Pascal LAMB+ Brought LIFE instead of Death. That is why we love HIM+ through our repentance and obedience. ~ ~ ~ Lenten Meditation (Please ignore airplane ).

The SIGN of the CROSS

The Sign of the CROSS  Ash Wednesday  the beginning of PASCHA  The Preparation Season  commonly known as Lent  .

"The local church’s action is a witness of the 'New Evangelization' in which Pope Francis calls on Christians to proclaim peace in and for the world," says the pastor of St. Mark Catholic Church in Richmond, Kentucky.

From: Vision Vocation Network.org 

 Chritians are being persecuted

 in Iraq ( and elsewhere).

The  Christian sign is represented by the Arabic alphabet character for the letter “N.” 

The “N” stands for Nazarene and was first used by militants to identify property owned by Christians violently forced to leave Mosul, Iraq. Perhaps you have seen the symbol replacing friends Facebook profile pictures throughout the summer?

One of the more impressive signs of solidarity has come from St. Mark Catholic Church in Richmond, Kentucky, which has painted their West Main Street door with this Arabic symbol.

Father James Sichko, pastor of St. Mark, told the Richmond Register: “We are all Iraqi Christians. As Catholic Christians, the members of St. Mark stand together in defiance of genocide, of persecution, of hate and the slaughter of Christians anywhere.” 

Let these images and symbols continue to be a reminder ...

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Now is My+ Soul troubled,

 and what shall I+ say, 

"FATHER, save ME+ from this hour?"

But for this cause came I+ unto this hour; 

FATHER, glorify Thy Name...

Meditation: 

   As we come face to face with the activities of those haters of CHRIST JESUS Our LORD, let us identify with our persecuted brothers and sisters.  

In  order to do that, we must FIRST identify with

 Our LORD and SAVIOR, Who+ was persecuted by the haters of GOD ... and Who+ still is. 

The haters of GOD, YHWH, the HOLY ONE of Israel, cannot "touch" Our LORD JESUS now, in the flesh. So, they are directed by demons to attack those who carry His+ Name.

During this PASCHA  season, let us bear the reproaches of them who reproached Our Lord, and suffer along with HIM+. 

Let us suffer along with our persecuted brethren across this dead and dying world. 

We will suffer  ...  if we stand for righteousness. 

Prepare your hearts to do so. 

     

Let us pray: 

O HOLY ONE+ of Israel,  we thank THEE+ for coming for "this" hour,  the hour of Thy+  Death. Help us to show our love for THEE+ by picking up our Cross, our "N" , and dying to Self for Thy+ Name's sake. 

Bless our efforts in this and keep us ever mindful of the dear ones who have already paid the price for following THEE+, and grant them sweet rest at Thy+ FATHER'S throne. 

In the Name of Our Suffering SAVIOR, The LORD JESUS CHRIST, we pray. 

Amen

John 12:26-28 ( Courtesy of Biblegateway.com)

²⁶ If any man serve ME+  let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

²⁷ Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.

²⁸ Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.




*  The "mark" that looks like a dotted U on the door of the church is the Arabic letter that = N in English. It stands for "Nazarene" , which is what they call Christians in Arab lands. 

ESTABLISHING the WORK of our HANDS...

So teach us to number our days,

that we may apply our hearts unto Wisdom+.

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Return, O LORD, how long?

and let it repent THEE concerning Thy Servants.

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O satisfy us early with Thy Mercy;

that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.

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Make us glad according to the days

wherein THOU hast afflicted us,
and the years wherein we have seen evil.

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Let Thy Work appear unto Thy Servants,

and Thy Glory unto their children.

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And let the beauty of The LORD our GOD be upon us:

and establish THOU the work of our hands upon us;

yea, the work of our hands establish THOU it.

Psalm 90: 12-17

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This lovely, inspired passage in the Psalms seems to be talking about The LORD JESUS CHRIST, the ONE+ Who+ was in the beginning with GOD, the ONE+ Who+ was known as Wisdom+ , the Daily Delight of GOD the FATHER in Solomon's writings (Proverbs 8:30).

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Let us ponder more closely the phrase: Establish THOU the work of our hands... in that last verse of this passage.

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We know what is the Work of the LORD'S hands, don't we?

Putting clay on the eyes of one born blind, touching the leper for cleansing, taking the damsel by HIS+ Hand and telling her to arise... We recall the scourge HE+ made WITH HIS+ HANDS of small cords and drove the money-changers out of the Temple. And the Greatest Work of all... yielding HIS+ HANDS to the nails of the Cross. This was the Work of our LORD'S HANDS.

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Yet, what exactly is "the work of our hands ?"

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Since this passage is spiritually-oriented, it stands to reason that "the work of our hands" should be considered spiritually-oriented also.

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Our Praying Hands

Hands clasped together in prayer... in worship, in thanksgiving, in supplication for friends and enemies... are working hands, in the eyes of GOD, are they not ? Do you suppose these "working hands" are more lovely to Our Savior+ than hands that, perhaps, are busy holding a deck of cards... ? Don't you suppose HE+ sees us using our hands for all manner of things, both good and bad ?

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Do we want The LORD to establish "the work of our hands" when we use our hands to lock our doors and perhaps slam things around in our irritation with someone, things, or life in general... when we don't get our way? Is that the fruit we want to be established? Is that the testimony we want to have established upon us?

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Our hands should be used for HOLY purposes. As John Michael Talbot sang, "These are HOLY hands."

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A second HOLY work our hands can perform is making the sign of the Cross. Our friends in the Roman Catholic branches have been making the sign of the Cross for a long time, but...

the sign of the Cross

did NOT originate

with Roman Catholicism .

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Making the sign of the Cross is recorded by Tertullian as early as the year 197 AD, so it must have been done before that year, at least.

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Here is what some of the writings tell us about making the sign of the Cross long before the Roman Catholics acquired it; they simply retained the Early Christian practices. [ All quotes are from David Bercot's Dictionary of Early Christian Beliefs, Scroll Publishing.]

From Tertullian ~

"At every forward step and movement, at every going in and out, when we put on our clothes and shoes, when we bathe, when we sit at the table, when we light the lamps, when on the couch, on a seat, and in all the ordinary actions of daily life, we trace the sign upon our foreheads." (c. 211, Western writer, 3.94.95, )

From Lactantius ~~

" HE+ is the salvation of all who have written on their foreheads the sign of blood. I am referring to the sign of the Cross, on which HE+ shed HIS+ Blood... But I will show in the last book in what manner or in what region all will be safe who have marked on the highest part of their body this sign of the true and divine Blood+. " (c.304-311, Western writer, 7.129).

"While the Emperor Diocletian sacrificed, some attendants of his, who were Christians, stood by and they put the immortal sign on their foreheads. At this, the demons were chased away, and the (un)holy rites were interrupted. (c. 320, W, 7.304).

From Cyprian~~~

"Women did not benefit from that sign of circumcision. However, all are sealed by the sign of The LORD." (c. 250w, 5.510).

"Only those can escape who have been born anew and signed with the sign of CHRIST. 'Have no pity upon old or young. And slay the virgins, the little ones, and the women, that they may be utterly destroyed. But do not touch any man upon whom is written the mark.' What this mark is and in what part of the body it is placed, GOD sets forth in another place, saying 'Go through the midst of Jerusalem and set a mark (tau ... like a T) upon the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry for all the abominations that are done in the midst thereof.' This sign pertains to the passion and blood of CHRIST. Whoever is found in this sign is kept safe and unharmed."

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We who are NOT of the Roman Catholic persuasion might do well to reconsider the practice of the signing of the Cross as part of our daily routine during worship and prayer. The Early Christians seemed to think it was a valid and genuine use of HOLY hands.

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O, LORD, THOU+ Whose+ hands were Most HOLY, help us to sow to the Spirit always, and establish THOU+ the work of these hands... made HOLY by Thy+ Blood and Spirit. Then, may our prayers be set forth before THEE+ as incense; and the lifting up of our hands as the evening sacrifice.

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In the name of The FATHER, Who created thee;

His+ HOLY SON+ JESUS, Who+ saves thee;

And The Blessed HOLY SPIRIT, Who sanctifies thee.

+ + +

The Way of The Cross
Pascha Season 2009
Pascha Meditation 2


I must needs go home
by the Way of The Cross;
There’s no other way
but this.
.

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Today, let us set up stations of the Cross. Our friends in the Roman Catholic and high church traditions have been doing this for awhile in their churches. Likely, we can do this more simply and in a variety of ways in our own homes. Perhaps, too, this would be a more effective way because we are at home more than “at” church.

So, here are some suggestions.

#1 Establish a cross station in each or several rooms of your home. It is good to have one at the kitchen sink, for instance, or where you do the laundry or ironing. Don’t forget the bathrooms or outhouses. Establish one at your husband’s desk or work area, also.

At the station, put up a cross. If you don’t have one for the wall or on a stand, then hang a necklace, chain, or cord with a cross on it. Or, tape up a nice picture of a cross from a greeting card from last Resurrection Season or one that your young people have colored or made.

#2 At each of the cross stations, establish a verse, a Psalm, Scripture, or Meditation (such as “Keep a Clear Eye”) to read. If you have children, appoint them to read, write, or find the meditation. These may change daily or weekly, as you see fit.

#3 Find a bell for each station (some old jingle bells do just fine) to ring before and after your prayer. Again, your children will delight to ring the bell to call to worship and to sanctify the end of it.

#4 Learn to make the sign of the cross over yourself and over your children. Begin or end your worship with it… or whenever the Trinity is mentioned in the Doxology… or whenever The Name of The LORD JESUS CHRIST is mentioned.

No, the sign of the cross is NOT a monopoly of the high church tradition, nor did they invent it. The Early Christians made the sign of the cross often, according to the early writings. Like the cross, it belongs to the entire Body of CHRIST, the whole Christian Church. [An up-coming blog will review what the Early Christians said about the sign of the cross and how they did it.]

#5 Worship individually, together after a meal, or at quiet times through-out the day. We at the Order of the GOOD SHEPHERD+ like to keep a schedule. Ours varies from every 3 hours, starting at 6 a.m., to every hour (on some days). However, spontaneous worship works just as well to keep one’s focus on CHRIST. The important thing is not “when” you do it, but that you DO it… either individually or as a family unit. Set a goal: 3 x a day or 6 x a day, etc.

#6 If you work in public, then establish SOME kind of station there too. The visible witness is essential for you to stay focused on CHRIST while in the busy work world, and for others to see. [It strengthens the hidden Christians and it will give you ample opportunity to witness to the hungry ones.]

May The LORD bless us as we return to HIM+ during these brief minutes of worship throughout the day, throughout the Pascha Season; it is the least we can do.

Dear LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST,

We proclaim Thy Name in our homes, in our hearts, in our lives. We cannot imagine living without THEE+. Pull us ever closer to Thy Great Good Heart so that we might find our home in THEE+.

Receive these, our imperfect prayers, O GOD, in the Name of Our Heavenly FATHER, Who created us; His Beloved SON+, Who saves us; and The Blessed HOLY SPIRIT,
Who sanctifies us.
Amen
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