Father Nissen's message, 15 March 2009

The text for today is the 10 commandments, Exodus 20: 1 - 17.

The ten commandments keep us focused on faith and good works.  The fourth commandment--which says, "Remember the sabbath day and keep it holy"--is often overlooked, but it is essential that we learn to rest and take a day off.

Today we are very busy, and our lives are getting faster and faster.  With less sleep and less relaxation, our heart muscles are slowly wearing out for lack of sleep and because of too much work.

Keeping the sabbath, a day of rest, is God's radical demand to us for a healthy, balanced life.  Know that life is short, love is eternal, and be thankful.  Take a day off!  Everything will go better!

Father Nissen's message, March 1, the first Sunday in Lent

The text for today comes from Psalm 25.  The psalm says, "Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths."

The person who wrote these words was no talking bout book knowledge, but rather that he be aware of what good daily living is that he remain teachable, that he remain open to putting our faith into practice in our daily lives.  

So often we learn in life at the "school fo hard knocks."  This can be good learning, but so often causes such pain and hurt to ourselves and others that we do not want this on a regular basis.  During this Lent, let us internalize some Bilbe teachings so they become part of us.  This will happen through our being humble, our being open to being taught.  We are NOT the center of the universe!

Let us listen more carefully what our friends are telling us, receive healthy criticism, and be proactive in our lives instead of just reacting to stressful situations around us or created by us.  Let us be teachable, which guards against arrogance.  This way we can have balance in our lives with a calm, peace, and the purpose of living the faith. 

This way we do not have to learn only from the school of hard knocks.