Around the world diffrent cultures make ways to celebrate relationships in diffrent ways, such as in United States (and Im sure other places) Valentines day marks the love between two people. Nations mark relation with treaties and in several other ways. But what about relationions with God you say? God has his own way of setting relation. One of the first ways God showed he will not abandon us despite our fall and continued sin is through the rainbow which is a sign that after the great flood is his sign of restored relations saying that kind of global destruction will ever happen again (at least not by God's hands. God's creation is beutiful as he creates the sun, the moon, all the creatures of the land and water, and more. Then he creates humans and they are very good, however after the fall of man we realize that our relationship with God had been severly damaged. Though God would not leave us this way though because he loves us. God sent his son Jesus Christ into the world so he might save it, and he does save us. Through the Cross-his blood and sacrifice as the perfect passover lamb he saves us from our sins, saves us fromm the death meant for us. His love changes the world and changes us and he restores the realtion that was broken between God and humans. We see this at our Baptism in a special way after we are baptised into Christ we here you are my beloved, as in we adopted into God's family and through Jesus we are made into children of God. We cant love God unless we really know he loves us, which is made obvious through his sacrifice for us and the Word says We love him because he loved us first.

The pinacle of creation was made clear in God's word is humans. God is satisfied and says everything is good until the 6th day until he says it is very good. When he finishes he says that male and femal is Very Good. God likes everything hes done before but he blesses Adam and Eve. He tells Adam that he must take care of and tend to his creation, as he has domain over them. In the past some Christians have ignored taking care of the earth and are seeing results from that. All that is created reflects the image of God, not just human beings. When Jesus came to walk on this Earth he fed people, he healed people, and anounced Good News to all (especially to the poorest among us. It is the poorest on this earth that suffer the most (the very people we are charged to protect as disicples of Jesus) that suffer the most from climate change. Ways we can improve enviromental health: turn thermostats down, evenriomently sealed windows. turn water heater down to 120 degrees, unglug unused electronics such as computers, ernergy efficient light bulbs, use reusable dishware (not plasic), use public trans. when possible, eat local (also healthier for you),  Lets take good care of Gods creation, God Bless.  

Their has been great tragedy recently in Boston, Ma.  Truely this has hit home to us- Lives changed, families torn, missing limbs, and the death of three people (including an 8 year old boy. We respond in prayer, lament, grief, sorrow, and push back against lifes pains. We run into the question of why God would let such an aweful thing happen. What can we do to help? The reality is life not safe nor predicatable but God is here for us and is with us. God loves us and is using us to be a light to the world. What we do in our lives gives them meaning, God gives them meaning. God is present and known more intamitly in the mist of suffering. That ability to suffer with, to be caring and compasitionet is a gift from God. Suddenly strangers have become hungry brothers and sisters in Christ. We give thanks to the rapid responce by the police and other agencies. We give thanks to those who went back, everyday citizens to help the injured. Martin Luther King jr. said that heaven on earth occurs when the poor are cared for and all God's children are treated with justice. Isiah proclaims the truth and the future of a restored world, the new Jeruselem which is coming. With this it is easy to miss what else Isiah said which is the day of God's vegence. Mathew's Gospel says those who dont feed the poor and heal the sick/ help the lowest among us do not know God. We must live with love, courage, and compasion. We pray for hearts that will grow and change. The day is coming of the kingdom of Heaven, where we will make instruments of peace out of former weapons and where  Micah (Micah 4:4) tells us Everyone will live in peace and prosperity, enjoying their own
grapevines and fig trees, for there will be nothing to fear...  God Bless

I think today is a good day to discuss the aposles and use the bible along with tradition and the book of Martyr's to talk about the apostles. I think that the honest truth is that many of us may have trouble naming all twelve apostles, but that is partly due to the fact that we dont know as much about some as others. The apostles were (and still are) Jesus's closest disciples. Now to get  the definition out of the way in order to be an apostle you must have witnessed/seen the risen Christ. They where charged with carrying his message far and wide. We know a welth of information about Peter, but not nearly as much about the other apostles (well besides Paul/Saul). Andrew is the brother of Peter and one of his more notable moments is the feeding of the five thousand. Where he spread the gospel is uncertain and a source of controversy but the most popular idea is Greece. He was crucified and reportedly had preached for two whole days before he died. History tells us that he had also turned seven demonds into dogs. James the greater (because he is older than the other apostle James) was the first apostle to die for Christ and was martyed by Herod Agripa 44 A.D.  James the less (distiguishes him from the older one metioned above) according to church tradition may have been the first bishop of Jeruselem (as I said just maybe), nothing outside the Gospel is known about him for sure. He is reported as possibley been beaten to death. John is the one that Jesus loved (the brother of James the Greater). Together James and John were known as the sons of Thunder because of their well known tempers. John had written the fourth Gospel and teamed up with Peter, as well as being a leader in the church in Jeruselem. The only known apostle to escape martydom despite tradition telling us he was burned in oil. Jude (also known as Thadius) who is the writer of his own Epistle (brother of James the less). His journey is said to be to Persia where he was martyred. Mathew also known as Levi was a tax collecter and hated by society but Jesus called him where he was at wwhile he was in his office. The Pharisees often questioned who would eat with such a sinner. He  was blinded and inprisioned in Ethiopia and was only cured when Andrew was summoned to his rescue by an angel. We are unsure of where  he was martyed but Ehtiopia and Persia are suspected. After the betrayal by Judas a new apostle was picked by lots and that was none other than Mathias who very little is known about. He was present at Pentacost where the power of God was revealed and the Holy Spirit came. Though according to church tradition he was put to death by an ax. Phillip left his three children and wife to follow Jesus and he was ruportedly crucified upside down. Simeon was known as the zealot because of his former membership in a strict sect of Judaism. His later life is only speculativly known or thought about. Last up is Thomas or didumus the doubter (though quite faithful) sceptical about the reserection till the wounds where shown to him. Thomas may have gotten the gospel all the way to India. Church legend say that he might have been in sold into slavery to get him there and their the king gave him money to build a palace and he instead gave it away to the poor. While he had been martyed the details are unknown. Hope this Helps, God Bless.

Lets set this straight so who is Mary of Magdalene and what did she do? Their are numerous Mary's throughout the New Testement (including of course Jesus's mother). Not to be overly critical of the RC Church but back in the 6th century Pope Gregory confused and combined Mary of Magdalene with Mary of Bethany and the unamed sinner in the 7th chapter of the Gospel According to Luke (this was partly due to misogony as well). Bam this is where we get the idea that Mary of Magdalene was  a prostitute for the last 14oo yrs.  However this view fits right in (even if inacurate) because it is a great story of repentance and model for such things.  But the facts just dont support this. However since the 1960's this has been discredited by scholars, historians, and theologians (both Christian and Secular).... Mary was not a prostitute, at least not this Mary. While Jesus did forgive a prostitute named Mary, it was not Mary of Magdalene.  Also the whole Jesus's wife thing can be thrown out the door not only because it isnt biblical but also because their is no truth and history behind it (even the most unforgiving of secular scholars agree). Sadly at  different points in history, Mary Magdalene has been confused or misidentified with almost every woman in the four Gospels, except for Jesus's mother. The early church and other church's tell us she was a finacialy independent women who helped support the disciples and our messiah (perhaps finacialy), she didnt hide when Jesus was arrested, she was at the crucifixtion of our saviour. She is the first to have witnessed the reserection and at the time acted mroe like a disciple of jesus than the disciples where at the time. the first to anounce death had been overcome, the first to be doubted among many. Truely she is the apostle to the apostles. God Bless.
 

We as Christians are living stones and who better than Peter who's name is Petros or rock. The living stones (Christians) are the rejects of the world. Jesus is the chief cornstone of the house the leader who lifts up such rejects and makes them sons (and daughters) of God. Living sacrafices which doesnt mean human or animal sacrafices but are praise, compasion, and forgiveness. This makes us godly rejects that sacrifice for the good of all, we are God the Fathers priesthood. Jesus the precious chief cornerstone is our source of life and strength, however others trip over this chief cornerstone because they cant see that Jesus and God the Father are one in mind and purpose. They are both God.

Do I think the Ten Commandments change society and should be mentioned in church more, my answer is absolutly yes. Sadly enough I am more than a little frightened that some Christians no longer able to list the ten commandments (certainly this is quite disturbing). I believe that it is part of the foundational elements of a godly society and one that is able to make a diffrence in this world. They commandments state that what is due to God is deviotion, reverence, no substitutes, no messing with God's name for your own purposes. Then it goes on to state what is due to other people-how to treat people on a foundational level is the other part. I think we rather underestimate the changing and transforming power of the Ten  Commandments. Im absolutly for it being better taught and explained within Church and wider society. Though we must explain why this matters though- we must ourselves as disciples of Jesus undestand about what is due to God and what is due to our neighbors.

I think since earth day is coming up I will talk a little about the awesome and awe inspiring creation today. Ever time I read the Creation account I sit in awe, wonder, and amazment about the complexity and bueaty of God's amazing earth. Absolutly amazing and nothing humans are capable of making could ever match God's creation. The word of God (Bible) is very clear that the human creation is the pinacle, God says everything is good until on the sixth day he says it is very good. He created them male and female in his image, which is very good. He blesses the man and the women. God created in Genisis and spoke goodness. All the beuty of creation reflects
the image of God. He tells Adam that he has responcibilty of naming all the animals and responcibilty over all the earth. However the fall has done a number on all of God''s wonderful and magnifigant creation. However if we take seriously the call. However  while we should try to take better care of the earth do not fear God has plans to redeem us and the rest of creation through Jesus. We can see this in John 3:16 when we notice the word used for world is cosmos. God plans to redeem the whole of his universe that he has created and not just us, we must not loose sight of that. God's plans are always bigger than us, bigger than the churches, bigger even than the whole of humanity. As bishop Michael Nazir Ali says "It is nothing less than the transformation of this universe that he has created so that it conforms more and more to his purpose for us". God Bless

The Natural sciences are a wonderful way of approaching the world, they really are but they are not the end all be all that people make it out to be. It asks questions about how it all works, the inner workings. In the last century how amazingly quick we have advanced scientifically by enormous leaps and jumps. Their will always be more questions in science. Their are some things in life science can not and will not answer such as does that food taste good, does this person like me, is this music pleasing and quite good, what is the meaning of life,  who should I marry and spend the rest of my life with. Christianity and Science ask diffrent questions. Science asks questions of  how things work and how things have come to be the way they are. and how they change.    Now you may be asking yourself what does being a disciple of Jesus answer besides the question of salvation and the miracles. Christianity asks questions of meaning. What it means to be a good human being, how to live a good life, what it means to be in a relationship with God, what it means to be a child of God. Jesus teaches us through the sermon on the mouunt, parables, and every day life about justice, poverty, love, and abudant life. Ultimately DNA is the most complex and ancient language in the wolrd and the only thing able to prouduce language is mind. Truely DNA is God's signature, with no two exactly alike, ultimately God is always most important and science is an extension of his glory.