El shaddai, el shaddai, El-elyon na adonia, Age to age you're still the same, By the power of the name. El shaddai, el shaddai, Erkamka na adonai, We will praise and lift you high, El shaddai. Through your love and through the ram, You saved the son of abraham; Through the power of your hand, Turned the sea into dry land. To the outcast on her knees, You were the God who really sees, And by your might, You set your children free. El shaddai, el shaddai, El-elyon na adonia, Age to age you're still the same, By the power of the name. El shaddai, el shaddai, Erkamka na adonai, We will praise and lift you high, El shaddai. Through the years you've made it clear, That the time of christ was near, Though the people couldn't see What messiah ought to be. Though your word contained the plan, They just could not understand Your most awesome work was done Through the frailty of your son. El shaddai, el shaddai, El-elyon na adonai, Age to age you're still the same, By the power of the name. El shaddai, el shaddai, Erkamka na adonai, I will praise yo 'till I die, El shaddai. El shaddai, el shaddai, El-elyon na adonai, Age to age you're still the same, By the power of the name. El shaddai, el shaddai, Erkamka na adonai, I will praise you 'till I die. El shaddai. Performed by Amy Grant Songwriters: Michael J. Card / John W Thompson

A plead for unity, and an end to violence against minorities by a contemporary Christian singer and 2014 Grammy Award winner. We all bleed the same We're more beautiful when we come together We all bleed the same So tell me why, tell me why We're divided Woke up today Another headline Another innocent life is taken In the name of hatred So hard to take (hey!) And if we think that it's all good Then we're mistaken 'Cause my heart is breaking (tell it, 'Dis) Are you left? Are you right? Pointing fingers, taking sides When are we gonna realize? We all bleed the same We're more beautiful when we come together We all bleed the same So tell me why, tell me why We're divided If we're gonna fight Let's fight for each other If we're gonna shout Let love be the cry We all bleed the same So tell me why, tell me why We're divided Tell me, who are we To judge someone By the kind of clothes they're wearing Or the color of their skin? Are you black? (black) Are you white? (white) Aren't we all the same inside? (the same inside) Father, open our eyes to see! We all bleed the same (we all bleed the same) We're more beautiful when we come together We all bleed the same (we all bleed the same) So tell me why, tell me why We're divided If we're gonna fight Let's fight for each other (fight for each other!) If we're gonna shout Let love be the cry (be the cry!) We all bleed the same (we all bleed the same) So tell me why, tell me why We're divided Only love can drive out all the darkness What are we fighting for? We were made to carry one another We were made for more, said Only love can drive out all the darkness What are we fighting for? yeah We were made to carry one another We were made for more! We all bleed the same (we all bleed the same) We're more beautiful when we come together (let's stand united!) We all bleed the same (we all bleed the same) So tell me why, tell me why We're divided If we're gonna fight Let's fight for each other (fight for each other!) If we're gonna shout Let love be the cry (be the cry!) We all bleed the same(we all bleed the same) (bleed the same) Let's stand united (let's stand united) Let's stand united! So Father God, I pray That our families will come together right now And seek Your face You will forgive our sins And You will heal our incredible land In the name of the only Savior, Jesus Christ Amen Artist : Mandisa Songwriters: Chris Stevens / Mandisa Hundley / Bryan Fowler / Toby McKeehan

Each Sunday during Lent, we post a song one of our parishioners submitted to our Lenten Meditation Book. Each song inspires reflection... gives joy... radiates love. We hope that you enjoy. God of creation There at the start Before the beginning of time With no point of reference You spoke to the dark And fleshed out the wonder of light And as You speak A hundred billion galaxies are born In the vapor of Your breath the planets form If the stars were made to worship so will I I can see Your heart in everything You’ve made Every burning star A signal fire of grace If creation sings Your praises so will I God of Your promise You don’t speak in vain No syllable empty or void For once You have spoken All nature and science Follow the sound of Your voice And as You speak A hundred billion creatures catch Your breath Evolving in pursuit of what You said If it all reveals Your nature so will I I can see Your heart in everything You say Every painted sky A canvas of Your grace If creation still obeys You so will I So will I So will I If the stars were made to worship so will I If the mountains bow in reverence so will I If the oceans roar Your greatness so will I For if everything exists to lift You high so will I If the wind goes where You send it so will I If the rocks cry out in silence so will I If the sum of all our praises still falls shy Then we’ll sing again a hundred billion times God of salvation You chased down my heart Through all of my failure and pride On a hill You created The light of the world Abandoned in darkness to die And as You speak A hundred billion failures disappear Where You lost Your life so I could find it here If You left the grave behind You so will I I can see Your heart in everything You’ve done Every part designed in a work of art called love If You gladly chose surrender so will I I can see Your heart Eight billion different ways Every precious one A child You died to save If You gave Your life to love them so will I Like You would again a hundred billion times But what measure could amount to Your desire You’re the One who never leaves the one behind ~ performed by Hillsong United Songwriters: Joel Houston / Benjamin Hastings / Michael Fatkin

Each Sunday during Lent, we post a song one of our parishioners submitted to our Lenten Meditation Book. Each song inspires reflection... gives joy... radiates love. We hope that you enjoy. “Lord of the Dance” a Shaker song 1. I danced in the morning when the world was young I danced in the moon and the stars and the sun I came down from heaven and I danced on the earth At Bethlehem I had my birth. Refrain Dance, dance, wherever you may be I am the lord of the dance, said he And I lead you all, wherever you may be And I lead you all in the dance, said he. 2. I danced for the scribes and the Pharisees They wouldn’t dance, they wouldn’t follow me I danced for the fisherman James and John They came with me so the dance went on. Refrain 3. I danced on the Sabbath and I cured the lame The holy people said it was a shame They ripped, they stripped, they hung me high Left me there on the cross to die. Refrain 4. I danced on a Friday when the world turned black It’s hard to dance with the devil on your back They buried my body, they thought I was gone But I am the dance, and the dance goes on. Refrain 5. They cut me down and I leapt up high I am the life that will never, never die I’ll live in you if you’ll live in me I am the Lord of the dance, said he. Refrain

About 20 years ago I was stunned by the question, “Are you a 'born again’ Christian?” (I had made, for me, a rare semi-public affirmation, at a meeting of colleagues, of my faith in Jesus and spoke out strongly for what I considered to be Christian morality. Not long afterward, I was asked the question by one of those colleagues - “Are you a ‘born again’ Christian?” I had expressed my ignorance, not only reflecting my uncertainty about an answer, but also because of the popular distaste of “born again" Christians. I put the question, which was difficult to dismiss, in the back of my mind.) For about 15 years, I thought about that question, especially when reading or hearing the gospel of John, chapter 3, recording Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus. He was a Jewish leader who approached Jesus, under cover of darkness, asking about Jesus’ religious status. Jesus answered Nicodemus’ underlying question--how could people see the Kingdom of God. Jesus answered, only if a person is “born again.” After five more years of trying to decide what “born again” means, I am ready to give my answer. I am also ready to answer the question (mentioned earlier), am I a born-again Christian? First, what does “born again” mean? I believe that: a. Being “born again” means that that our nature is not only human, as were the Old Testament people, such as Jacob (cheated his brother Esau) and David (adultery with Bathsheba and murder of her husband Uriah). But, as in the New Testament, that our nature is also divine, as adopted children and heirs of God and as brothers of Christ. b. Being “born again” also means that we live under a different law. The Old Testament law included over 600 specific laws (many about rituals and diets). Some laws were made by God (the Ten Commandments), but many were made by man (see Leviticus and other books of the Torah, the first 5 books). All were strictly applied according to the "letter of the law.” The New Testament law for Christians is restated in the two Great Commandments of Jesus (set forth in all three “synoptic” gospels)—love God and love your neighbor. Both those commandments have been broadly applied according to the “spirit of the law.” c. Too, being “born again” means a difference in what love requires. In both Old and New Testaments, we must love God with all our heart, with all our soul, and and with all our mind. In the New Testament, however, it is clear that love is self-sacrificing, even to martyrdom. Too, love of neighbors in the New Testament is not just our geographical neighbors (family, tribe, or nation), as in the Old Testament. But love is even of our enemies (“turn the other cheek,” in the Beatitudes of the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5, and in the parable of the Good Samaritan, Luke 10:25, both in the New Testament). So, that is LOVE RE-EXAMINED! d. Being “born again” also means a different kind of life. God is the creator of life in both the Old and New Testaments. But the New Testament sees a more abundant life on earth with Christ--“to see Him more clearly, love Him more dearly, and follow Him more nearly,” the Prayer of Richard of Chichester, set to music “Day by Day” in our hymnal #654 and in the film “Godspell", too, while the Old Testament generally sees death as the end of life, the New Testament sees death as the beginning of eternal life. All this suggests that, not only love must be re-examined, but so must human nature be re-examined. So must law. And so must life. So, now I must answer the question, am I a “born again” Christian? I hope so. I want to be. May God forgive my failings.

"Know one another, and you will love one another" That is the by-line of the International House Program at Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, Alabama. My daughter & I are both alumnae of the program that began in 1946 with four students from France. It was a chance for respite from post-World War II Europe. Since 1964, each year there are 40 members of the program - 20 American students and 20 internationals. Each international student is from a different country and is roomed with an American student. The emphasis is now placed on the overall aspects of cultural understanding. When I was in the House, we had an 18-year-old, his first time away from his family in Tehran, Iran. It was the fall of 1979. We had been together since late August and everyone was enjoying the camaraderie, campus activities, and at least some classes. We woke up that November morning to find graffiti scrawled across our front porch and other students outside with placards reading "foreigners go home." Ahmed was distraught, he couldn't reach his family by phone. Other House members were alarmed, would they be targeted just because they looked different? We were all disappointed that on this vibrant and usually inclusive campus there were people who could act like that. They likely didn't even know that there was anyone from Iran in the House, but were lashing out in fear. So how did things turn out? We all assured Ahmed that we didn't blame him for what was happening thousands of miles away. House staff helped him get in touch with a relative in the U.S., and eventually, with his parents back home. For at least a few days, we made sure no international had to walk to class or go anywhere in town alone. Facilities sand blasted the porch pavers, and the picketers quickly lost interest. Things went back to normal, but none of us would ever be the same. We had a shared experience that made us closer, and stronger together. Fast-forward to 2016. The House was celebrating 70 years of bringing people together! And a few of us managed to re-kindle some old friendships. Then, in 2018 the unthinkable happened. A tornado hit the campus during Spring Break just weeks before finals. It tore the roof off of the House women's hall. Other dorms & buildings also sustained heavy damage. But within in days, alternate accommodations for all of the House residents was found and those who could showed up even before that to help begin the clean-up. Alumni joined students, providing material assistance and emotional support. Across the years and across the miles, the bonds of love forged there are still strong.

When little things irk me, and I grow Impatient with my dear one, make me know How in a moment joy can take its flight And happiness be quenched in endless night. Keep this thought with me all the livelong day That I may guard the harsh words I might say When I would fret and grumble, fiery hot At trifles that tomorrow are forgot -- Let me remember, Lord, how it would be If these, my loved ones, were not here with me.

It is an amazing story to hear that this fragile body with which we walk around - which is often beaten down with weariness, sickness and years, and which holds together my contradictions and yours - is a holy temple within which God takes residence. I remember the story about David asking to build a temple to honor God. But God would have none of that. God rather chose Solomon to build a temple. That temple was so beautiful that many, many people traveled from far and near to simply behold its beauty and to worship the creator God in it. All through human history, many are the temples that have been built to honor and worship the divine. Think about the Aztec temples in Mexico. Think about the ancient Incan temples in Peru. Think about the ancient Egyptian temples, where rituals were performed for different gods. Many are the shrines in some traditional societies are devoted to the divine. There’s a story of St. Paul on one of his missionary trips to Athens; upon coming across shrines scattered all over the city, and some which were devoted to unknown gods, Paul was able to convince some of the residents that the gods whom they did not know, and to which they had built those shrines, was the God he proclaimed. As beautiful as these temples may have been, Paul helps us to reinterpret the place of the human body. Genesis assures us that in the image of God we were created, but it was Paul who fleshed out the idea of our divine image and went as far as to construct the notion that the human body is the temple of God. This new idea was a clear departure from what our perception of the human body has been. The human body is sacred. I reflect on the idea of the temple, and look no further than my own heart - the seat of the temple within me, God’s holy temple. If a person doesn’t know which direction to face when praying, or if that person has exhausted all the six different directions to which he or she can face - namely, up, down, left, right, forward or backward - let that person look inward toward the heart, the sacred space within each of us. During this season of Lent, and most especially this past week, I have reflected on the life of three people who committed suicide - two students from Florida who died as a result of survivor guilt, and a parent who lost a child during the Sandy Hook shooting. I can never put myself in their shoes to think for a moment what it means to deal with what they were dealing with, nor can I ever imagine what it means when you believe you have exhausted all your options. I pray for the repose of their souls, and as I turn to look inward, I ask myself the question, "Have I exhausted all my options?" And I ask you, my beloved friend, "Have you exhausted all your options?" Humans have been religious since the day we became aware of ourselves. Religion is one of the experiences which makes us truly human. I embrace Paul’s conception of you and I as being God’s holy temple with absolute conviction that even when I exhaust all my options, I can look within me, my heart, the seat of God’s presence, the sacred space within myself and my inner temple. A place where I can vouch for God’s redeeming presence. The point is, I look inward not because of self-sufficiency, but because that is the only place that at every moment and time I acknowledge my dependence and over-reliance on God. That is the moment when I need God the most. That is the moment when I kneel before my heart, as big an ocean as the size of my heart may be, and I try to find myself in its hidden depths, and then reach out to God to come in and save me - even from myself. St. Augustine once wrote that, “The house of my soul is too small for you to enter, O God; make it more spacious by your coming.” God comes to us, and dwells within us. There’s a place in our being in which only God can dwell, and where we dwell in God. It is the place where we meet God, and dissolve into God’s being as God’s walking holy temples. I know You (God) are standing at the door. I hear You (God) knocking at the door, the door to my heart, the temple where your glory dwells. May You come in and dwell with me, just so I may not feel that I have exhausted all my options. Manny.

What makes a heart to heart connection between strangers? I was reminiscing about a past experience in Thailand in 1985. At that time, I was in a van travelling along the Gulf of Siam with my Thai lab technicians headed toward the city of Trad to check on the progress of a malaria prophylaxis clinical trial in Kampuchean Gem Miners, when we veered off the road for a special lunch destination. Our driver knew of a delicious crab noodle shop in town and wanted to share this special cuisine with us. Now I considered myself a connoisseur of noodle shops, so I was especially interested in this new destination. First, let me describe a typical noodle shop. Often, they are located in an alley or on a roadside, many without a roof overhead. The critical fixture is a large cauldron of boiling broth over a charcoal fire, alongside a shelf containing herbs, dried peppers, piles of generous sized bowls, a large selection of uncooked noodles in 3 varieties, with chicken, fish balls, beef, pork or, in this case, crab on ice. Behind the seated cook was the dishwashing tub with soapy water. There are 4-6 stools for the customers to sit on and a couple small round tables on which to place your meal. Typically, there is only one chef cooking, serving the noodle bowl and cleaning up between patrons. In the vast majority of cases, the proprietor was a male covered by an apron over his T-shirt and shorts and perspiring profusely due to the high humidity, temperature in the high 80’s-90’s and exposure to the open fire. Hopefully, the outdoor establishment was located in the shade. These noodle shops were in very humble settings and really appreciated the business. So, this crab noodle shop was significantly different. A Chinese woman wearing a wooden crucifix on a cord around her neck ran this roadside restaurant. It made a real impression due to its rarity. Thailand is a very Buddhist country, with 5% Moslems, only 0.5% Catholics and a total of 1.2% Christians in this Asian nation. The Chinese are also an unappreciated minority in this country, especially in the countryside away for the major cities. The owner of the shop was friendly and welcoming. I felt a special bond that even in our distant worlds of class and culture, we had the same Savior and Lord and were linked heart to heart as Children of a loving God. For some reason, I felt at peace and at home receiving her gifts to us. I felt that she was an outpost of Christianity and I was grateful.

"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching." Hebrews 10:24-25 "Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." Galatians 6:2 "For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others." Romans 12:4-5 "Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all." Ephesians 4:2-5 "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others." Philippians 2:3-4 "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful." Colossians 3:12-15 "How good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head... It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore." Psalm 133 "But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it." 1 Corinthians 12:24b-27

I accepted a voluntary demotion in my job several months ago. I had been unhappy at work for many months and had more than one dispute with my new bosses about how to fix problems so I shouldn’t have been surprised when they asked me to transfer. But I was surprised, and I was upset. My ego was bruised. I felt that I was abandoning co-workers. I was angry and had several weeks of troubled sleep. Fortunately, my frustration was replaced eventually with a calm recognition of how much better my life is without the stresses of the old job. I truly feel blessed that I am valued by the new team of colleagues and clients and that I have time to dedicate myself to each case instead of the triage method of defense work you’re forced to do in the city. My hours are better. For nearly 5 years I worked 10+ hours each day at the office (with many at home too) and started most days with a flurry of texts to fix problems. I loved the exciting pace and enjoyed solving problems all day. But when my work shifted to the point where I felt I wasn’t able to solve many of the problems, my love for the work changed. I felt burdened and frustrated most days. Now I get to have a cup of tea and spend time with our dogs in the morning before work. Right now, they’re learning how to “leave it” when I put their treat in front of them. Last week they stayed for 10 minutes waiting for me to release them to have their treat! I’m not sure when the shift occurred that I moved from being upset to when I became satisfied and happy in my new position. It came over several months and happened because of several things: My husband, Tom, patiently and lovingly helped me through it. He helped us figure out the financial changes we’d have to make and helped me feel valued in everything I do. My friends and other family were very supportive and didn’t let me dwell in the “outraged” stage very long. Several spoke with me every day for a while to be sure I was okay. They took me out to eat or just hung out with me and let me vent for a while and then made me see the good things that were happening. Father Manny prayed with me several times and prayed for me. It was very “freeing” to give my problems over to him and to God. Having a loving Priest in my life is such an anchor. And then I think my own praying has helped. I didn’t even feel like praying at first but when I finally asked God to help me stop being angry, I was actually feeling less angry. The other thing that has helped me tremendously is having music in my life and having friends to do music with. We pray together and just have fun while we do our music making so it’s like group therapy! We help each other through our tough times or we just forget that we have tough times for a while. As I read over what I’ve written, I feel embarrassed that I act like this job change was so devastating. There are certainly worse things that happen to people than this and, at least I have a job for heaven’s sake. I guess that I can add that to my long list of good things; it could have been much worse. Thank You, God. You help me to dwell in the beauty of the moments and not linger in the sad ones. ~by Jan