Easter 2 Collect

What a wonderful prayer for the Second Sunday after Easter, Misericordias Domini!

     God, who by the humiliation of Thy Son did raise up the fallen world, grant unto Thy faithful ones perpetual gladness, and those whom Thou has delivered from the danger of everlasting death do Thou make partakers of eternal joys; through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end.

Indeed, by Christ’s humiliation we have been raised up.  Christ descended to earth, humbled Himself as a man and even to put Himself in our place, being judged as a sinner for our sake, even to the disgrace of the death of the cross, and through this raised Himself bodily from the dead so that we, too, would be raised to new life in communion with Him.

Every week I marvel at these amazing prayers that have been handed down to us through the generations.  Such prayers truly direct us to the glorious hope that is ours in Christ Jesus, hope that shines so brightly that even the ever increasing shadows of decay of society must flee in its light.  As the world grows darker, the bright light of the hope of Christ’s resurrection shines ever more clearly.

The light does shine in the darkness.  But will we turn from it or be drawn to it?  For those who perceive it for what it truly is, there is no choice.  Stumbling in the darkness is not an option.

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Another Two Local Small Businesses Bite the Dust

Two of the local family owned trash haulers in Wichita have been gobbled up.

In February Lies was consumed by Waste Management, an enormous company based in Texas.

Lies Trash Service sells to Waste Management

Waste Management buys Lies Trash Service

This past month Sanitation Services, LLC sent flyers to the customers of Haggard Trash Service, informing us that they purchased Haggard.  For now, at least it is still a locally owned company.  Nevertheless, the flyer indicates higher prices.

Small businesses are disappearing more and more rapidly as the government at every level increases the regulations and taxes (often disguised as fees).  But the enormity of the new rules being imposed is oppressive — stupid, pointless rules that have as the ultimate objective the obliteration of private and independent enterprise.  The small businesses, which provide the more personal and comprehensive services, cannot bear the burden of the big impersonal corporations who receive many incentives from both local and federal government as well as charging higher prices while paying less taxes.

Such has become the way of America and the world.

The United Nations Agenda 21 is being imposed with daily greater aggression.  With the addition of the National Defense Resources Preparedness Order signed by the Obama on March 16, the potential for presidential usurpation of all resources has been made official.  Some are trying to minimize what this means, but the handwriting is on the wall.

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UN Agenda 21

Obama's Executive Order Authorizes Peacetime Martial Law

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Privacy?

A few minutes ago I called VIPRE support (my firewall and anti-virus security company) regarding the plethora of fraudulent e-mails that I receive daily.  Today one claimed that a payment to the federal government failed.  Another used the AT&T payment cover page.

The Vipre representative was friendly, kindly, and helpful, as always and assured me that this is a phishing issue and not an infection issue, but to continue being cautious not to click on anything nor to give any information in response to these e-mails and never, ever to open an attachment from them.

A few minutes after speaking with this very nice gentleman I received a support ticket e-mail from Vipre.  I was startled on account of the fact that I did not give my name, phone number, e-mail address, nor any other personal information during the phone conversation.  Apparently the Vipre phone support system has a direct link to their computer, which reads the caller ID and extrapolates all other information held in their database and generates a support ticket e-mail.

While on the one hand I am impressed that Vipre is so thorough as to send a support ticket, it also leaves me feeling terribly disconcerted that such information compiling is occurring.

This shows how much data is being gathered by big companies regarding each of us.  It shows how even a simple phone call is being tracked and linked to other information concerning each of us, not only by companies with whom we do business, but by others, including the federal government.

Even more alarming is the awareness that this is only the tip of the iceberg.

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The Elusive Easter Bunny

In this photo the rumors are validated. April 10, 2012, this baby bunny emerged from the bushes, unaware that anyone would notice its appearance.

Cautiously emerging from the bushes, this little bunny surveys the many people in this mall parking lot, taking notes regarding how many houses it must visit next year.

It seems funny that for most people the image of Easter is a bunny. Funny bunny. But how funny is it that the greatest announcement in the history of the cosmos is reduced to chocolate bunnies and marshmallow chicks, jelly beans and chocolate eggs, and little white lies that later disappoint children and promote distrust of the word of their parents and grandparents.

Is it any wonder that Darwin despaired of trying to convince himself to believe the promises of the resurrection and turned instead to trust in imaginary science based on fiction far more disappointing than imaginary Easter Rabbits? At least one can actually find little bunnies like that one in this photo. Where are the countless necessary mutations that advance in genetic order upon which the evolutionist fairy tale is based? Not one documented case exists.

How sad that this is called “science.”

Oh well.

Yet the risen Lord has been seen by many. Multiple accounts have been recorded. His Church has spread throughout the world and His presence is regularly observed in the blessed Sacrament as well as through the wonders produced through it. The greatest force in the universe, the Forgiveness of Sins and the new life of grace, mercy, and peace generated through the gift of the Holy Spirit in Baptism, is observed continually.

And if cute and cuddly is what wows a person, what is more wonderful than to observe a baby emerging from the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit to live in the newness of everlasting life in God’s Holy Communion?

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Wichita's Tornado Damage

Lots of Damage - No Deaths

Aerial photos of storm damage

NewsChopper 9 Flies Over Wichita Tornado Damage

Tornado Hits Wichita's South Side Hard

Part Of Wichita Deemed 'Crisis Area' After Tornado

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The Day of Rest

Sabbath, the Seventh Day, the Day of Rest from the week’s work, Holy Saturday, the Creator of all again rests from all of His work of Re-Creation. Sunday He rode into the holy city, allowing Himself to be proclaimed the one coming in the name of the Lord. He preaches. He cleanses the temple. He observes the final festival of the Passover, which He prepares to fulfill. He ordains the New Testament in His blood. He suffers the betrayal, the false trial and judgment, the scourging, the crucifixion. Now He rests in another man’s bed of death, declaring all that He has accomplished to be good.

On the third or eighth day He shall raise Himself again bodily from the dead. He shall again make His presence known among His people.

On this Holy Saturday it seems appropriate to reflect upon a couple of comforting passages of the Holy Scriptures:

And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest. And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence. For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth. And the Lord said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name. (Exodus 33:14-17)

At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight. All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:25-30)

This promised rest is a different word than the Sabbath unto the Lord commanded in the Third Commandment. This rest is in connection with and the result given through the Sabbath Day, the day hallowed as the day that the Lord rested from all of His labors. In the Septuagint translation of the Old Testament passage the word is katapauso. The New Testament word is anapauso.

These two words have the same base word, which means to give rest or to cause to be settled. Both words are used in connection with the Lord’s presence with His people. Kata means down or against. Ana means up or above.

According to the Old Testament promises, the people were promised that the Lord would cause His presence to go with them, to separate them from the other nations, to keep them bound to Him through faith in the promised Seed. But while the Lord would be present with them, they could not actually come into His presence and could not look upon His face.

But with the birth of Jesus, this was advanced from kata to ana. With the Lord’s bodily presence, that is, in the body of Jesus, they could actually look up and see the Lord’s countenance. They could look up and see His face and touch Him. Now, not only were they separated from the world by the presence of the Lord going with them, but now they were separated so as to be invited to come into His presence and to see His face and to receive from Him the very things from above. Now He would give rest to them in and through His very body and blood.

And so the last Sabbath was observed by the Lord as He rested from His works of recreation, lying upon the cold stone bed of a sinner, until on the third day He raised Himself up again to be seen by all so that they could again come unto Him to be made to be everlasting recipients of the rest that He gives to all who come unto Him in His body, the Church.

Surely this is a holy day as we quietly await the joyous celebration of the Lord’s resurrection from the dead. Such a day is like no other. Such a day is true cause for the return of the Gloria in Excelsis and the Hallelujahs in the divine service.

For as St. Peter reminds us in 1 Peter 3:21, our connection to the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the answer of the good conscience poured out to us in the water of our baptism. His resurrection is the reason that we not only will not be separated from God forever in hell, but also is the reason that we will be bound together with God in His holiness and glory forevermore. His resurrection is the reason that we dare to come to God and confess our sins, knowing that our Lord Jesus stands as our mediator and intercessor, calling for our absolution that He purchased for us.

Surely this news is genuine comfort and peace and cause for relaxing in perfect rest.

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In My Father’s House

This week my wife and I were discussing the comfort of the promise that the Lord has a mansion awaiting us. As this age grows darker and more insecure, this blessed promise is very much on our hearts and minds.

The Lord Jesus gave this wonderful promise of assurance on the night of His betrayal, as He was preparing His disciples for the horrible things that they would soon witness, the things that would make this promise effective.

     In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. (John 14:2-3)

My wife asked me whether we will really have a mansion. “I don’t really want a mansion,” she said, “just a place to stay.”

In verse 2 the Lord Jesus actually employs three different words for what is reserved for us. His actual words as John records them are:

     In the house (oikia) of the Father of Me abodes (monai) many are. But if not, I would have told you. I journey to prepare a place (topon) for you-all.”

The Father’s house or household is established. God knows His own. He knows from eternity. In His household He has residences for all of His beloved children. No one has been forgotten. Jesus assures His disciples of this as He journeys onward to the public condemnation and rejection of mankind and to the torturous scourging and death of the cross and finally to the grave. This is the means by which they and all who look to Him in faith receive the guarantee of a place together with Him in the Father’s household. He resolutely looked to this throughout His life. He continually proclaimed this to His disciples. Now, they would see the fulfillment of all of the promises and prophecies of the Scriptures, but would not understand until after the resurrection. What they were about to witness would crush their spirits and drive all hope from their hearts, except for these words of promise. Apart from this assurance, they would not understand the words of Jesus on the cross as He would cry out in our place with the blindness of our sin, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

These words are our false perception that we have inherited from Adam on account of sin. Just as Adam falsely imagined that the Lord had forsaken him on account of his guilty and filthy conscience, so we stand imagining that God has forsaken us. But even in that moment of being made to be sin for us, even in that moment when evil moved in so powerfully and fully that the very sun was darkened, even in that moment as the Son of Man cried out with our accursedness, still the Father looked on in merciful love and comforted His Son and through Him comforted all of mankind with the assurance that He has not abandoned us. It is only our refusal to trust Him that separates us from Him.

This is why the author to the Hebrews writes:

     So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee. As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec. (Hebrews 5:5-10)

Christ Jesus was saved from death. Though He took our place and was crucified as a condemned sinner in our stead, though He was rejected by mankind and tortured and killed, though our sin stood between Him and the Father, nevertheless the Father remained with Him even as they are truly one from eternity. Though Christ died for us according to the flesh, He was nevertheless preserved from death by His union with the Father. And so, on the third day He raised Himself bodily from the dead so as to ascend bodily to the Father and take our flesh to the very throne of God to rule on our behalf as both God and Man forevermore.

This is why St. Paul writes to the Colossians:

     If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:1-4)

Yes, by His suffering, death, and burial Christ has secured for us our place together with Him in His everlasting kingdom, the household of the Father, in which there exists an abundance of residences for all of His children. By His resurrection and ascension Christ has given us the assurance of our place with Him even as through our baptism we have been joined with Him as everlasting communicants of His Holy Communion.

As I explained to my wife, a baby is perfectly content to sleep in a dresser drawer, if that baby abides in the parents’ love. A little child is perfectly happy to share a room and even a bed with multiple siblings, if that child knows that the household is one in which abides the assurance of love. This is the promise given to us by our Lord Jesus. We are loved and we shall forevermore dwell in the security of that love. Our place has been prepared and awaits us after all that must transpire in the current age has come to pass. For now we live in that blessed hope, reminded of the Lord’s merciful patience that moves Him to wait until the Gospel has been heard and received by every last person for whom a place has been reserved.

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The Jealous Father

Here is a story that breaks the heart:

A loving husband and father worked very hard to establish a household for his wife and children. He promised to be faithful and always to take care of them. He built a house, a magnificent home, a genuine mansion. Some might even call it a castle.

He worked and provided for all of the needs of his family. He set up a trust fund that would continually grow so as to provide for his family in perpetuity. He made certain that they were safe and protected.

One day along came a conniving swindler, who had many secret assistants. This selfish and cruel embezzler and thief came to the wife and children with a story about how the father was not as caring and loving as he had presented to them. While the father was busy providing for them and planning for their future, this other fellow convinced the family that they would be better off making their own plans and establishing their own way. He explained how they could take the investments that the father had kept from them and use them more productively. He explained that they could use these investments for things that the father had not given to them for their use, or at least not for the uses that they now would engage.

All that the father had established was undermined. The family unity disintegrated. The family members began to envy one another and to plot against one another. Turmoil supplanted the peace and harmony previously enjoyed. The children began to focus upon hoarding resources. Hard and arduous work became the daily routine. Fences were built to prevent stealing. Wars arose over property disputes.

The father spoke to the family members and urged them to return to the way that they formerly enjoyed together. A few listened and lived in peace together. But the others, the vast majority, reacted angrily and began to promote hatred toward those who listened to their father. The few remaining in the unity of the family were mistreated and sometimes enslaved and sometimes even killed.

What was the father to do? What action should he take concerning those who chose to destroy all that he had lovingly established? What should he do regarding the belligerent rebellion and subsequent attacks against those who remained in the family together?

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Age-Activated Attention Deficit Disorder

By the way, the answer to this distressing phenomenon is not another pill.

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Reaction to Government Imposed Religion

The article Meltdown! Student goes berserk in class shares the account of an incident that occurred in college Evolution class. Some of the students made video recordings of the outburst that ended with the young lady being taken away to a government religious center, the South County Mental Health Center in Delray Beach, Fla.

Yes, Evolution and Psychology are part of the government’s religion, and it is being forcibly imposed upon the populace. This young lady cried out violently against what continually bombards her, but she does not fully understand.

Some of the people who commented on this article made comments about how this young lady is a racist and a product of welfare, etc. One lady spoke against the other students who displayed the laughter of dismay, as if they were without compassion, when they were actually victims who laughed rather than to respond in other ways.

This type of incident is becoming more and more common in our society. It will become even more prevalent in the future.

Why? Why is this happening? Why are we seeing people suddenly go berserk and act out violently? Why are there people suddenly “Going Postal”?

In this young lady’s case, did she perhaps know of the racial eugenics of Evolutionism? Did she know that the early promotion of Evolutionism was to dehumanize certain groups of people? Did she know that in America the religion of evolution was propagated to “prove” the inferiority of the African peoples?

It is hard to say. Perhaps she simply listened to too many racial hatemongers like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton and the Obama. There is no question that many people have been victims of such propaganda, being continually taught that reacting with anger and outrage is the proper and perhaps only response to various observable inequities.

Mix in perhaps a few psychiatric drugs prescribed to manipulate her emotions rather than to deal with them, consider also whatever family dysfunction she may daily encounter, add also the collapsing economy and the personal and community impact, pile on the growing threat of the governmental denial of Constitutional protections (through the NDAA, TSA, NSA, CIA, etc.), finally add in the forced continual exposure to the denigrating and intellectually insulting false doctrine of Evolutionism, and eventually all of this pent up confusion breaks through to those around her.

Outbursts like this young lady’s are not without cause. While these causes may not justify or excuse her actions, they do help to put things into a more understandable perspective, and perhaps also lead to a certain degree of sympathy and empathy. Maybe we should actually invest the energy to listen and hear such people.

After all, we are such people.

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Is Racism Ever Accidental?

In a recent conversation with a local businessman I heard the comment, “I’ve never had dealings with a nigger who didn’t do me wrong.”

I was shocked and responded: “I have. Assuming that you are using this term with reference to a person’s skin color. I have known many very fine black people.”

His response was, “Well then, you’ve been fortunate. I never have.”

I did not press the matter, but it disturbed me greatly. This occurred before the Trayvon media out-lashes. This was before the NBC deliberate falsification of the 911 recording. This was before the racist so-called reverends began their campaigns of hatred and violence.

While it is a tragedy that Trayvon was killed, is not the greater tragedy the deliberate falsification of the event that the media and hatemongers have perpetrated?

NBC even went so far as to edit the 911 recording so as to present an entirely false account. This is reported at NBC to do ‘internal investigation’ on Zimmerman segment and THE TRAYVON MARTIN OPERATION.

Here is what the NBC Today show presented of the dispatcher call:

Zimmerman: This guy looks like he’s up to no good. He looks black.

Here is the transcript of the actual flow of this part of the call:

Zimmerman: This guy looks like he’s up to no good. Or he’s on drugs or something. It’s raining and he’s just walking around, looking about.

Dispatcher: OK, and this guy — is he black, white or Hispanic?

Zimmerman: He looks black.

The two articles proceed to demonstrate the deliberate attempt by NBC to present a false scenario that would move racial tensions to explode in Sanford and throughout the country.

Does this sort of thing happen by accident?

During my one year residency in Detroit I had the wonderful opportunity to be with people who had lived in that city for many years. I was very naive and some of these dear folk looked after me. My neighborhood was quite rough. There were crack houses on our block. Gun shots could be heard every night. At least two drive-by shootings occurred during my time there. At least one elderly man was knifed to death for drug money. But the neighbors, especially the next-door neighbors looked after me. I think that they figured I was a very naive white fellow. Regardless, they were very kind and they did look after me.

From the people with whom I had regular daily dealings, love was the primary interaction. Of course, most of my dealings were in the congregation and its school. Certainly many very bad things were being done all around me everyday, but not by my brothers and sisters.

Some of them shared stories about how racism was deliberately promoted in the city, especially by real estate profiteers. They shared how the media and fire department and police colluded to make the riots appear much worse than they actually had been. My understanding of the deliberate promotion of racism in our nation was greatly expanded by their testimonies. They educated me regarding many issues.

My point in sharing this is that racism is not accidental.

Dictionary.com has these as the two primary definitions of accidental:

1. happening by chance or accident; not planned; unexpected: an accidental meeting.
   
2. nonessential; incidental; subsidiary: accidental benefits.
   

From both perspectives, racism is not accidental. Racism is both planned and essential, meaning that it is taught and that it has deliberate influences and effects upon those who experience it. Racism is ugly. Racism is evil. It is shameful that we even find it necessary to have such a word in our vocabulary. There is only ONE race. All humans are of this same race. We share the same Father. He is a loving Father. His will is that we live together in His love. Why do people imagine that this is a difficult thing? Why do people follow frauds who teach that racism is something that must be overcome and that must be controlled through various laws? The only law that has the power to eliminate racism is the law of love.

Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. (Romans 13:8-10)

Racism is not accidental. It is a choice, a choice that is taught and propagated. People are reactionary. They react to various differences and misunderstandings, often with fear and distrust. When people both react to one another in this way, and when they teach this to others through rumors and other slanderous talk, it becomes amplified. Yes, people often do wicked and evil things, sinful things against others.

And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. (1 Peter 4:8)

If we want to have peaceful relations, we need to understand that they begin with the forgiveness that flows from charity, that is agape, Love.

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Obama’s Ideal Son

Obama: "If I Had A Son, He Would Look Like Trayvon"



Like “father” like son, I guess.

This actually does seem to be a mirror image of what the Obama continually gestures to the nation.

But then, the Obama is not alone as both houses of Congress, the Judicial branch all the way to the Supreme Court, the mainstream media, and the two party political system continually flip us this gesture as well.


Funny, I remember a time when parents slapped the smirk off their children for such disrespectful, hateful, and wicked gestures, and they were praised for their loving disciplinary actions rather than prosecuted for them. What happened to this nation?

Was it all just a dream?

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