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I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go to the house of the LORD."
Psalm 122:1
"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."
Genesis 1:1
"This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it."
Psalms 118:24
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And he shall direct your paths."
Proverbs 3:5
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Rector's Study
HAPPY NEW LIFE!
While nearly everyone may feel that they have nearly enough of celebrating by this time, the party has just begun. We may not keep the decorations up or spend as much on our electricity bills burning unnecessary lighting. We may have no desire to see one more scrap of wrapping paper or evergreen needles on the living room floor. Those with small children may be glad the nervous expectation of the little ones has calmed, slightly. But make no mistake; we are not through with celebration.
Our party began with something new, the new life we received through the coming of Jesus Christ our Lord. I absolutely love the Collect for the Second Sunday of the Christmas Season. "God... who wonderfully created, and yet more wonderfully restored the dignity of human nature..." (BCP 214). The gift of life is great, but the gift of new life, of restored life, is even greater. In Jesus Christ, we see life as the Lord God means for us to have it, powerful, loving, gracious, whole. The life we find is a restored life, not the fleeting, declining existence of fallen nature that ends in death. This is that resurrected life that ends death. "O death, where is thy sting?" (1 Corinthians 15:55).
So new life has begun in Jesus, and this life is the end of death. We have begun to taste the eternal life that is ours through the Savior by whom God has restored us. This is something to celebrate! And we have plenty of time. Oh, we have more than time. By the gift of God, we have eternity. Our new life is forever.
"Be joyful in the Lord."
Yours in Christ,
Fr. Timothy P. Perkins  , SSC
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October 2007
September 2007
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Advent 2004
October 2004
September 2004
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Epiphany 2004
Advent 2003
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February 2003
Epiphany 2003
October 2002
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