4th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Presentation of the Lord

Every night, all over the world, religious men and women, priests, deacons and many lay people recite a few verses from today’s gospel, Luke 2:22-40. The verses are used during Night Prayer which is part of the Liturgy of the Hours. They form a prayer called the Nunc dimittis: “Lord, now let your servant go in peace; your word has been fulfilled: my own eyes have seen the salvation which you have prepared in the sight of every people: a light to reveal you to the nations and the glory of your people Israel.” This is Simeon’s prayer that he offered after seeing the baby Jesus in the Temple forty days after his birth.

Simeon’s story is the centrepiece of the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord that we celebrate today. It’s another epiphany, an appearance or manifestation of a divine being. In this case the Holy Spirit revealed to Simeon that the forty day old baby he held in his arms was “the Christ of the Lord.” The Spirit promised Simeon that he would not die until he actually saw the Messiah. Holding the child, Simeon rejoiced and proclaimed his beautiful prayer of thanksgiving. For Simeon the child represented the end of his life. Like John the Baptist, Simeon was a messenger who must diminish so that the mission of Jesus could be fulfilled.

After giving Joseph and Mary a blessing, Simeon has some challenging words for Mary, “Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted —and you yourself a sword will pierce—so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” This is the paradox of the feast we celebrate today. It is a feast of joy and light. In other countries it often is called Candlemas when candles are blessed and lit to reflect Christ as our Light. However Simeon’s words to Mary remind us that there is a price to pay for following the Light of Christ. For Simeon and John the Baptist the price was death. For Mary the price was the pain she would experience when her son was crucified.

The challenge for us on this Feast Day is to commit to the demands placed on us as followers of Christ. The life of a Christian is not all sweetness and light. However, we can pray that the Light of Christ will illuminate our life’s journey so that we like Simeon, will see “the salvation which [God has] prepared in the sight of every people.

God our Father,

you spoke your mighty word to the world

and there was light.

You have spoken your Word Jesus Christ among us

and there is light in our minds and hearts.

Do not allow us to keep this light of Jesus

hidden but let it shine in our words and deeds,

that it may brighten the footsteps

of all people in search of the truth.

We ask you this through Jesus Christ our Lord

who is the light and the guiding star of our lives,

Amen.

Faith

Faith is not something we have or can keep, for it is not something". As St. Declan once said, "When I say I have attained enlightenment, please do not think there is anything that I have attained." A seeker's faith is not attained, contained, or maintained. It is not a body of beliefs held to unswervingly. It is, rather, a response to and embrace of what is unbelievable; it is a willingness to live in relationship to the Mystery that is beyond our comprehension but which comprehends us. As we move forward along a spiritual path becoming more and more taken with the Presence that stirs within all life, we become transformed, focused, smitten, and committed to continued transformation. Our lives become faith-filled, and we become faithful to the living, dynamic Presence that summons us to live dynamically.

Crayons

David Wallechinsky in "The Complete Book Of The Olympics" (Penguin Books, 1984) gives us a story that is worth retelling.

It is 1936. American Jesse Owens seems sure to win the long-jump competition in the Olympic games. The previous year he had jumped 26 feet, 8 1/4 inches -- a record that will stand for 25 years.

As he walks to the long-jump pit, however, Owens sees a tall, blue-eyed, blond German taking practice jumps in the 26-foot range. Owens feels nervous. He is acutely aware of the Nazis’ desire to prove “Aryan superiority.” And as a black son of a sharecropper, he knows what it is like to be made to feel inferior.

On his first jump, Owens inadvertently leaps from several inches beyond the takeoff board. Rattled, he fouls on his second attempt, too. One more foul and he will be eliminated.

At this point, the tall German introduces himself as Luz Long. “You should be able to qualify with your eyes closed!” he says to Owens, referring to his upcoming two jumps.

For the next few moments, the African American and the white Nazi chat together. Then Long makes a suggestion. Since the qualifying distance is only 23 feet, 5 1/2 inches, why not make a mark several inches before the takeoff board and jump from there, just to play it safe? Owens does and qualifies easily.

In the finals, Owens sets an Olympic record and earns the second of four gold medals. But who is the first person to congratulate him? Luz Long - in full view of Adolf Hitler.

Owens never again sees Long, who is later killed in World War II. “You could melt down all the medals and cups I have,” Owens later writes, “and they wouldn't be a plating on the 24-carat friendship I felt for Luz Long.”

Perhaps unknowingly, Luz Long taught the world a valuable lesson.

Someone else put it like this: “We can learn a lot from crayons. Some are sharp, some are pretty, some are dull, some have weird names, and all are different colors. But they all have to learn to live in the same box.”

Bicycle on Ceiling

A bicycle hanging from the ceiling cannot achieve its intended purpose.

The same thing can be said of The Bible sitting on the shelf in your room!

The Best Day of My Life!

Today, when I awoke, I suddenly realized that this is the best day of my life, ever.  There were times when I wondered if I would make it to today; but I did! And because I did I'm going to celebrate!

Today, I'm going to celebrate what an unbelievable life I have had so far: the accomplishments, the many blessings, and, yes, even the hardships because they have served to make me stronger. 

I will go through this day with my head held high and a happy heart. I will marvel at God's seemingly simple gifts:

the morning dew, 

the sun,

the clouds,

the trees,

the flowers,

the birds.

Today, none of these miraculous creations will escape my notice.

Today, I will share my excitement for life with other people.  I'll make someone smile.  I'll go out of my way to perform an unexpected act of kindness for someone I don't even know.

Today, I'll give a sincere compliment to someone who seems down.  I'll tell a child how special he is, and I'll tell someone I love just how deeply I care for them and how much they mean to me.

Today is the day I quit worrying about what I don't have and start being grateful for all the wonderful things God has already given me. 

I'll remember that to worry is just a waste of time because my faith in God and his Divine Plan ensures everything will be just fine. 

And tonight, before I go to bed, I'll go outside and raise my eyes to the heavens.  I will stand in awe at the beauty of the stars and the moon, and I will praise God for these magnificent treasures.

As the day ends and I lay my head down on my pillow, I will thank the Almighty for the best day of my life. And I will sleep the sleep of a contented child, excited with expectation because I know tomorrow is going to be... 

the best day of my life, ever!

Sing your Songs

3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

In the second part of today’s gospel, Luke 4:14-21, we hear St Luke’s account of Jesus launching his mission to the world. Filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, he travelled to “Nazareth, where he had grown up” and he walked into the local synagogue for an ordinary Sabbath service as he did every Sabbath day. There, in the presence of his family, friends and neighbors, Jesus took up the Scroll of the Prophet Isaiah and read: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord” (Luke 4:18-19). We will hear the response of the people of Nazareth in next Sunday’s gospel.

As I reflected on this reading, it occurred to me that Nazareth was an unlikely place to launch a global movement. It was Mary’s home town and is where the annunciation occurred. However, during the time of Roman occupation, it probably was nothing more than a small agricultural village of no significance. This possibly is why Nathanael would exclaim, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” (John 1:46). Contrast this launch with say Apple’s launch of a new iPhone. When a new iPhone is released, it is a global sensation. People swarm the stores to grab the latest model.

The message Jesus delivered to the people of Nazareth was far more profound than the launch of an iPhone although only a handful of people heard him. Jesus brought a message of healing, hope and freedom. He called upon the people of Nazareth and he calls upon us to be people of transformation. We too are anointed to bring the good news to people who are poor, captives, blind and oppressed. It is our job to proclaim the Kingdom of God and a year “acceptable to the Lord.” After several thousand years, Jesus’ message is still relevant. The mission statement has not changed. I wonder where the iPhone will be in 2000 years.

Lord God,

whose compassion embraces all peoples,

whose law is wisdom, freedom, and joy for the poor,

fulfil in our midst your promise

that we may receive the gospel of salvation with faith

and, anointed by the Spirit, freely proclaim it.

Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

God for ever and ever.

AMEN.

Jonathan Swift

 

Atheist

An atheist was walking through the woods, admiring all the “accidents” that evolution had created. “What majestic trees! What powerful rivers! What beautiful animals!” he said to himself.

As he was walking alongside the river, he heard a rustling in the bushes behind him. Turning to look, he saw a 7-foot grizzly bear charge towards him. He ran away as fast as he could up the path.

He looked over his shoulder and saw the grizzly was closing. Somehow he ran even faster, so scared that tears came to his eyes. He looked again, and the bear was even closer. His heart was pounding, and he tried to run faster. He tripped and fell to the ground. He rolled over to pick himself up, but the bear was right over him, reaching for him with its left paw and raising its right paw to strike him.

At that instant the atheist cried, “Oh my God!”

Time stopped. The bear froze. The forest was silent. Even the river stopped moving.

As a bright light shone upon the man, a voice came out of the sky, “You deny my existence for all these years, teach others that I don't exist, and even credit creation to a cosmic accident. Do you expect me to help you out of this predicament? Am I to count you as a believer?”

The atheist looked directly into the light and said, “I would feel like a hypocrite to become a Christian after all these years, but perhaps you could make the bear a Christian?”

“Very well,” said the voice.

The light went out. The river ran. The sounds of the forest resumed. Then the bear dropped his right paw, brought both paws together, bowed its head, and spoke: “Lord, for this food which I am about to receive, I am truly thankful.”

Native American Prayer

 

Four Things

Brownie and Scotty

Brownie and Scotty were neighbor dogs who met every day to play together. Like pairs of dogs you can find in most any neighborhood, these two loved each other and played together so often that they had worn a path through the grass of the field between their respective houses. One evening, Brownie's family noticed that Brownie hadn't returned home. They went looking for him with no success. Brownie didn’t show up the next day, and, despite their efforts to find him, by the next week he was still missing.

Curiously, Scotty showed up at Brownie's house alone, barking, whining, and generally pestering Brownie's human family. Busy with their own lives, they just ignored the nervous little neighbor dog. Finally, one morning Scotty refused to take "no" for an answer. Ted, Brownie's owner, was steadily harassed by the furious, adamant little dog. Spotty followed Ted about, barking insistently, then darting back and forth to a nearby empty lot, as if to say, "Follow me! It's urgent!" Eventually, Ted followed the frantic Scotty across the empty lot, as Scotty paused to race back and bark encouragingly. The little dog led the man under a fence, past clumps of trees, to a desolate spot a half mile from the house.

There Ted found his beloved Brownie alive -- one of his hind legs crushed in a steel leg-hold trap. Horrified, Ted wished he'd taken Scotty's earlier appeals seriously.

Then Ted noticed something quite remarkable... Scotty had done more than simply lead Brownie's human to his trapped friend. In a circle around the injured dog, Ted found an array of dog food and table scraps, which were identified as the remains of every meal Scotty had been fed that week!

Scotty had been visiting Brownie regularly, in a single minded quest to keep his friend alive by sacrificing his own comfort! Scotty had stayed with Brownie to protect him from predators, snuggling with him at night to keep him warm and nuzzling him to keep his spirits up. Brownie's leg was treated by a veterinarian and he recovered. For many years thereafter, the two families watched the faithful friends frolicking and chasing each other down that well-worn path between their houses.

Do you have a friend bringing you these stories. Giving you "scraps" of God's word? Taking you to a meeting? Now you know, the rest of the story. They’re trying to lead you home. Just like Scotty. Their wish for you and your life is for you to find God so the two of you can play together... forever in Heaven. Feel trapped?​

Acceptance

Acceptance is not approval, consent, permission, authorization, sanction, concurrence, agreement, compliance, sympathy, endorsement, confirmation, support, ratification, assistance, advocating, backing, maintaining, furthering, promoting, aiding, abetting or even liking what is.

Acceptance is saying, “It is what it is, and what is is what is.”

All Philosophers have understood this That a rose is a rose is a rose. And even Popeye says: "I am what I am.” All have understood that this is the way to acceptance.

2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Some of the most joyous events in the life of a parish are weddings. We all rejoice when couples come together to declare their love and fidelity to each other in the sacrament of marriage. They promise to be true to each other in good times and in bad times, in sickness and in health and they promise to love and honor each other all the days of their lives. God makes similar promises to us repeatedly throughout scripture. God says, “With age-old love I have loved you” (Jeremiah 31: 3). God made a covenant of love with us that was fully revealed when “God sent his only Son into the world so that we might have life through him” (1 John 4: 9). The bonds of this love are so powerful that St. Paul tells us, “neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8: 38 – 39).

The unfailing and eternal love that God has for us is described all through scripture in terms of marriage. And the kingdom of God often is described as a wedding feast. So, it is not surprising that Jesus’ first public miracle or sign, transforming water into wine, takes place at a wedding feast. This miracle demonstrates in a very graphic way the infinite generosity of God and the abundance of God’s kingdom. Jesus’ miracle is an extraordinarily generous gift. He did not change a few bottles of water into wine. He changed over 100 gallons of water into wine – enough to meet all the needs of the wedding party. And this is our challenge.

St. Paul tells us in today’s second reading from 1 Corinthians 12: 4–11, that God gives each of us spiritual gifts that we are supposed to use to build the kingdom. Just as Jesus was generous in sharing his gifts, so we are called to be generous in sharing our gifts in the service of God.

Faithful and loving God,

your Son Jesus shared with ordinary people in the joy of a marriage feast.

Set for us the table and pour for us the delightful wine of your covenant, 

bring us close to you and to one another 

and warm our hearts with your own love.

Make us your faithful stewards, ready to do whatever Jesus tells us.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

God for ever and ever.

AMEN

Spiritual Longing

In everyone's heart stirs a great homesickness.

~ Rabbi Seymour Siegel

We ask ourselves what drove us to do some of the things we did? We went to extremes even when we knew our actions were not rational. Still today, we are drawn to extremes. At times we still long for things that we know will hurt us. Are we puzzled by these desires? Wise men and prophets have searched their own deep truths to understand their desires and longings. Many say that our desires and hungers are, at the base of our being, a search for a spiritual home, a place where we know we are welcome, safe, and loved. Perhaps we are all born longing for that home. Maybe we first taste it when we first experience the warmth of loving and caring parents, even when it was only a taste, and only partially satisfied. Then we spend the rest of our lives in pursuit of that good feeling again.

The wisdom of our Faith in a God of love points us toward that spiritual home, a lifetime of growth and development follows in which we feel the spirit in our fellowship with other men and women, and we learn from others how they have found their way home.

Today the stirring in my heart will be a sign of my spiritual longing.

Ball of Yarn

“When I look back on all these worries I remember the story of the old man who said on his deathbed that he had had a lot of trouble in his life, most of which never happened.” ~Winston Churchill

A rolled-up ball of yarn does not take up much space--it sits, ready to be used when needed. It gets unrolled a little bit at a time--just as much as is needed and no more. But a ball of yarn that gets unraveled can be strewn across an entire room. It becomes a jumbled mass, entangled and confusing.

When we live our lives a day at a time, we are like that rolled-up ball of yarn. Our thoughts, feelings, and skills are ready to be used as they are needed. But when we worry, our spirit becomes a jumbled mass of yarn. We get ahead of and behind ourselves--our thoughts are scattered and often our feelings are confused. Worry adds clutter and confusion to life.

What is most helpful is to put the worry away--to roll up the ball of yarn and bring ourselves into the present moment. In this way, we stand ready for each new stitch--and we will never be given more than we are able to handle.

Do I have worries that are cluttering my life today?

Building Wisely

An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer of his plans to leave the house-building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife enjoying his extended family. He would miss the paycheck, but they would get by. He needed to retire.

The contractor was sorry to hear his good worker was leaving and asked him to build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter said yes, but it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and he used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to leave such a dedicated career.

When the carpenter finished the work, the employer came to inspect the house. Then he handed the carpenter the key to the front door.

“This is your house,” said the employer, “It is my gift to you.”

The carpenter was shocked. If only he had known he was building his own house, he would have done it differently.

So it is with us. We build our lives one day at a time, often putting less than our best effort into the building. Then with a shock we realize that we have to live in the house we built. If we could do it over, we would do it much differently. But we can’t go back.

You are the carpenter. Each day you hammer a nail, place a board or erect a wall. “Life is a do it yourself project,” Someone once said. Your attitudes and choices you make today, build the “house” you live in tomorrow. Build wisely.

Directions

The airline pilot announced over the intercom, "Folks, I've got good news and bad news for you. The bad news is … we're lost. The good news is … we're making great time!"

It's too easy to live our lives like that, isn't it? Always a bit too busy. In a hurry to accomplish the day's tasks. Rushing around but not clear exactly where we want to ultimately end up.

It's been provocatively said, "Millions long for immortality who do not know what to do with themselves on a rainy Sunday afternoon." The problem is they know they would like to accomplish something important with their lives or they would like to make a certain income or they would like to be happy. But when it comes to making the journey toward those destinations, they feel stuck. In short, they are lost.

Author and speaker Danny Cox, in his book SEIZE THE DAY (Career Press,1994), tells of a man who made a great success of his life in spite of tremendous hardships. The moment that ultimately turned this man's life around was when he sat down and asked himself four important questions:

1) What do I really want? He didn't want to just sleepwalk through life, nor look back someday and feel regret.

2) What will it cost? In time, money and commitment.

3) Am I willing to pay the price?

4) When is the best time to start paying the price?

Answer these four questions and you will be clear on the direction you want to take your life.  Commit to these answers and you'll make great time.

Two Days

There are two days in every week
about which we should not worry,
Two days which should be kept free of fear and apprehension.

One of these days is YESTERDAY,
With its mistakes and cares,
Its faults and blunders,
Its aches and pains.
YESTERDAY has passed forever beyond our control.
All the money in the world cannot bring back YESTERDAY.
We cannot undo a single act we performed;
We cannot erase a single word we said.
YESTERDAY is gone.

The other day we should not worry about is TOMORROW
With its possible adversities, its burdens, its larger promise.
TOMORROW is also beyond our immediate control.
TOMORROW, the sun will rise,
Either in splendor or behind a mask of clouds,
But it will rise.
Until it does, we have no stake in TOMORROW
For it is as yet unborn.

This leaves only one day – TODAY.
Any man can fight the battles of just one day.
It is only when you and I add the burdens of those two awful eternities
– YESTERDAY and TOMORROW –
That we break down.

It is not the experience of TODAY that worries people.
It is remorse or bitterness for something which happened YESTERDAY
And the dread of what TOMORROW may bring.
Let us, therefore, live but ONE day at a time.

The Jesus Nut

I read a little story about helicopters recently that I imagine is true, and I would like to share it with you. Also, I have often wished I had a helicopter and could fly it. They can go just about anywhere and land anywhere. Neat! But that is pie in the sky. Anyhow, the story I read pointed out how complex a machine the helicopter is and went on to say that despite its complexity the whole thing depends on that whirly blade or rotor that keeps it in the air and moving. The story said that these rotors are held in place by one simple hexagonal nut. And the name given to that nut is “the Jesus nut.”

Jesus, the one who comes from above, the one who speaks the words of God, is also the one who holds our lives together and permits us to “fly”

Feast of the Baptism of the Lord

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord.  This feast is the third in a series of divine manifestations of Jesus that we commemorate during the Christmas season.  The first is the nativity of Jesus on Christmas day, the birth of Emmanuel, God with us.  The second is the Epiphany when God revealed his plan for salvation to all the nations as represented by the Magi.  And today we see Jesus revealed as God the Father's “beloved son” in whom God is “well pleased.”

We heard the first part of today's gospel, Luke 3:15-16, four weeks ago during Advent when we focused our attention on expectation and preparation.  The people of Judea sought the messiah and they thought John the Baptist "might be the Christ."  In the text we hear today, St. Luke makes clear to us that the Christ has arrived.  And it is not John the Baptist.  The Christ is Jesus, God's son, filled with the Holy Spirit and anointed to “bring glad tidings to the poor, proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord” (Luke 4:18-19).  The time of expectation and preparation is finished.  Advent and Christmas are over.  Now the real work of Jesus Christ begins; Jesus is launched into his mission. 

With baptism, we become beloved daughters and sons of the Father.  When we receive baptism, we are launched into the mission of Christ.  At our baptism, God the Father grasps us "by the hand," and makes each of us "a light for the nations, to open the eyes of the blind, to bring out prisoners from confinement, and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness" (Isaiah 42:6-7).  Our baptism is a lifelong commitment to follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ continuing the good work he began until he comes again in glory. 

God our Father,
with your whole people reborn in baptism
we give you thanks.
In Jesus, each of us has become
your beloved son or daughter.
Fill us with the fire of the Holy Spirit
who guided Jesus in life and death.
Let this Spirit set us free
to serve you and one another
with unselfish, grateful love.
We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord.

Amen

The Knots Prayer

 

Proven Ways to Get Along with Others

1. Before you say anything to anyone, ask yourself 3 things:
     ♦ Is it true?
     ♦ Is it kind?
     ♦ Is it necessary?
2. Make promises sparingly and keep them faithfully.
3. Never miss the opportunity to compliment or say something encouraging to someone.
4. Refuse to talk negatively about others; don't gossip and don't listen to gossip.
5. Have a forgiving view of people. Believe that most people are doing the best they can.
6. Keep an open mind; discuss, but don't argue. (It is possible to disagree without being disagreeable.)
7. Forget about counting to 10. Count to 1,000 before doing or saying anything that could make matters worse.
8. Let your virtues speak for themselves.
9. If someone criticizes you, see if there is any truth to what he is saying. If so, make changes. If there is no truth to the criticism, ignore it and live so that no one will believe the negative remark.
10. Cultivate your sense of humor; laughter is the shortest distance between two people.
11. Do not seek so much to be consoled, as to console; do not seek so much to be understood, as to understand; do not seek so much to be loved as to love​.

Pope Paul VI

 

Edwin Hubbel Chapin

 

Epiphany of the Lord

Today we celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord, the manifestation of Jesus as Lord and Savior to the Magi.  St. Matthew's account of the Magi has all the elements of a great story.  There is a heavenly sign, a dangerous quest, priceless gifts, a wrong turn, a nasty villain, intrigue, deceit, and, ultimately, triumph when the Magi reach their goal, the opportunity to pay homage to the child Jesus.  And just to keep the story interesting, St. Matthew ends it with a miraculous escape. 

We know this story so well.  Images of the Magi cover Christmas cards; they have their own Christmas carol, and they have a special place in our Christmas crèches. In many parts of the world, the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord is the day people exchange gifts.  For most of us, however, this feast marks the day we take down all our Christmas decorations and put them away until sometime in Advent 2019 even though for us Catholics the Christmas Season does not end until next Sunday when we commemorate the Baptism of the Lord.  We have a good excuse to enjoy our decorations for another week!  

The Solemnity of the Epiphany deserves more of our attention. It is a special day for us.  It is the day when God made clear that salvation was not just for the children of Israel, His chosen people, but for everyone in the world.  This is the day when God revealed Jesus Christ to the Gentiles (us).  This is the day when we became "coheirs, members of the same body, and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel" (Ephesians 3:6).  .

This great Solemnity of the Epiphany is a good time for us to contemplate our own quest to find Jesus and to consider what gifts we have to offer Him. It is a day to thank God for including us in His plan for salvation. And it is a day to recognize how our lives reflect the radiant light of Christ to the world in which we live. 

God of all nations, peoples and cultures,
this is the day you have made bright
with your light and your love
destined for all.
Guide us in the new ways of your Son.

Open our eyes that we may recognize you
in all the signs that you send us.
Let your kindly light shine everywhere,
that all peoples may praise you
in their own language
and enrich your Church with their own gifts.
We ask this in the name of Jesus,
our Lord and Savior for ever.

Amen

World Peace