Father Nissen's message for October 18

Today's message is based on the Gospel reading, which is Mark 10:35 - 45.

In this reading the disciples wanted places of honor next to Jesus. This urge comes to all of us. We all want to progress, to be recognized, to know the right people for new opportunities.

But is this real success? Will this make us genuine human beings, persons who are helpful to ourselves and to others? I do not think so. True honor will come to all of us as we own up to our own weakness and let God his love through us.

Father Nissen's message on October 4, 2009

The message is based on the Gospel of Mark, chapter 10, verses 2 through 16.

In today's reading, Jesus was asked about divorce. In the Lord's day, divorce was permitted for infidelity, so it might have been easy to condemn a guilty party. But Jesus did not use this occasion to condemn people; rather, he used it to consider the deeper meaning of marriage.

The creation stories in Genesis can help us understand marriage. The second story states that man should not b e alone, and the first story tells us that we were created in the likeness of God. God is love, so marriage is--at its deepest level--to learn and to teach love.

People leave their parents to become married. For a child, the family relationship is "me-centered." But in marriage one enters the "we-centered" relationship of a new family.

This applies to church families, too. As we work at relating well with one another, we will find peace, joy, and healing in our congregation.