Morning Reading: John 18.15-18 NLT

peters-denial-of-jesus-rembrandt — Rembrandt – “Peter’s Denial of Jesus”

Simon Peter followed Jesus, as did another of the disciples. That other disciple was acquainted with the high priest, so he was allowed to enter the high priest’s courtyard with Jesus. Peter had to stay outside the gate. Then the disciple who knew the high priest spoke to the woman watching at the gate, and she let Peter in. The woman asked Peter, “You’re not one of that man’s disciples, are you?”

“No,” he said, “I am not.”

Because it was cold, the household servants and the guards had made a charcoal fire. They stood around it, warming themselves, and Peter stood with them, warming himself.

John 18.15-18 NLT

The Voting Booth has become a Confessional Booth for every believer. Our “secret ballot” is not hidden from God.

A Heapin' Plate of Conservative Politics & Religion

By Tom Quiner

The Catholic vote may decide this election.

Catholics swung to Obama decisively four years ago. A Pew poll shows they’ve swung decisively back toward Republicans nationally. Their party platform has generated a strong rebuke from Bishop Thomas Paprocki of the Springfield, Illinois diocese. He talked about the whole “God” controversy and His original exclusion from their platform:

“After outcries of protest from outside as well as within the Democratic Party, the sentence with the same reference to God used in 2008 was restored to read, “We need a government that stands up for the hopes, values and interests of working people, and gives everyone willing to work hard the chance to make the most of their God-given potential.”
Before anyone relaxes and concludes that all is well now that the Democratic Party Platform contains a single passing reference to God, the way that this was done should…

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Billy Graham: The Sin of Tolerance

The Sin of Tolerance

CHRISTIANS MUST BE AWARE OF COMPROMISE

October 1, 2012 – In some things Christ was the most tolerant, broad-minded Man who ever lived, but in other things He was one of the most intolerant

Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it ~ Matthew 7:14

by Billy Graham

At home and abroad, the American people plead for broad-mindedness, tolerance and charity. Abroad, our ambassadors use all of their powers to influence warring parties to come to the conference table in a spirit of give-and-take. There is a sense in which the world needs broad-mindedness and tolerance.

However, in the realm of Christian experience there is a need for intolerance. In some things Christ was the most tolerant, broad-minded Man who ever lived, but in other things He was one of the most intolerant.

Tolerance Can Become Too Stretched

One of the pet words of this age is tolerance. It is a good word, but we have tried to stretch it over too great an area. We have applied it, too often, where it does not belong. The word tolerant means liberal and broad-minded. In one sense, it implies the compromise of one’s convictions, a yielding of ground upon important issues.

We have become tolerant about divorce, the use of alcohol, delinquency, wickedness in high places, immorality, crime and godlessness. We have been sapped of conviction, drained of our beliefs, and we are bereft of our faith.

The sciences, however, are narrow-minded. Continue reading “Billy Graham: The Sin of Tolerance” →

Catholibertarian comes at the problem of “Societal Co-Dependence” from a different perspective than Public Catholic (http://www.patheos.com/blogs/publiccatholic/2012/10/a-whole-lotta-drinkin-and-druggin-going-on/)… but ends up in the same place – come to Jesus.

Catholibertarian

Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. Matthew 7:1-2

We hiss through gritted teeth whenever we hear some liberal fool misinterpret the most over-quoted and least understood admonishment from the mouth of our Lord: “Judge not, lest ye be judged.” It is Matthew 7:1, and usually it is used to dodge guilt over some sexual sin or the temptation to do away with the natural consequence thereof. You don’t tend to hear people use it to shield from the sting of moral disapproval those such as the following: Ponzi-scheming Wall Street swindlers, racists, violent gay-bashing mobs, serial rapists/murderers especially of women and more especially of young children (at least those who have already been expelled from their mother’s wombs). Certain sins, and certain classes of sinners…

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Marilyn R. Gardner

As a nurse I’ve cared for hundreds of people who are going into surgery, women who are in labor, people who have cancer, people who are dying. It has been both a privilege and a burden. It brings me face to face with my mortality, my frailty, and my need to figure out what this thing called ‘Life’ is all about.

I have sat with people waiting for their last breath, only to realize there would be none. I have been beside women as they gave birth to still-born babies, weeping with them as tears streamed down their cheeks. Tears that fell on the heads of babies who did not feel them or know the pain of their mamas.

I have cleaned up vomit, suctioned mucus, emptied bedpans,

So there is one thing I can tell you with certainty: There is no dignity in being sick. There is no dignity in…

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