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Fishing for People

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Then Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people."                                                                                 --Luke 5:10b Together we read Luke 5:1-11; it is Luke's version of Jesus calling the first of his disciples. The account is more detailed than what we read in Mark.  We found it quite remarkable. In this version, Jesus is teaching a large crowd on the seashore.  The crowd is "presing in on him to hear the word of God."  There is a sense of urgency that is quite striking.  Looking nearby, Jesus sees two empty fishing boats.  The fishermen had gotten out of them and were cleaning their nets after a night of fishing. Jesus takes the opportunity to get into one of the boats, which belongs to Simo...
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Artistic Renderings of The Annunciation

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Last week we revisited the two Gospel stories, in Luke 1:26-38 and Matthew 1:18-25, where the angel of God comes to speak to Mary and Joseph about God's plan.  In Mary's case, the angel reveals that young Mary will be the bearer of God's new life for the world, carrying and giving birth to the Son of God.  In Joseph's case, the angel intervenes when Joseph is temtped to quietly abandon Mary and the unborn child.  Joseph is en-couraged, and the two humble (and initially overwhelmed) people dedicate their lives in a remarkable faithfulness that can encourage us and stimulate our imaginations. The renderings of the angel and Mary are from Collier, DaVinci, Nesterov, and Caravaggio. The one of the angel and Jospeh is unattributed.  Are there any of them that really engage your attention?  
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The Bible

We took a look through our Bibles. Among our observations: --It is a "book of books," one of our class members said. --66 books in all, containing the stories of God and God's people. --The catalogue is separated into two sections or testaments. --The Hebrew Scriptures, comprising 39 of the books, are often referred to as 'The Old Testament." --The Christian Scriptures, comprising 27 books, are often referred to as "The New Testament." --Much of the Bible was first shared orally: the stories and teachings were told and learned and passed from generation to generation. --The Bible is a story book, with rich narratives and an overarching story. --Although Genesis is the first book in our Bibles, it was not the first one in written form (the Book of Amos was). --Exodus is a freedom story. --The Psalms (150 in all) are hymns, poems, and liturgies used in worship. --The Prophets are people sent by God to u at different times to speak Go...
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