Hidden Within the Fig

~~~ Revelation 20:1-4, 11-21:2 ~~~ Psalm 84 ~~~ Luke 21:29-33 ~~~

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth.
The former heaven and the former earth had passed away...

God will give us not only a new earth,
he will give us a new heaven too.
Scripture tells us God makes all things new...ALL things new.
It may be easy to imagine our earth to be made new;
we can visualize an earth without suffering...
a new earth without violence...
a new earth without famine...
a new earth without disease...
a new earth without child abuse...
a new earth with loving families...
a new earth with peace among all peoples...
a new earth with abundant sources of food...
a new earth with pure clean drinking water...

A new heaven poses more of a visualization challenge.
All that we know of heaven is already held
within our minds and hearts.
How could God make heaven any better?
Maybe when the last day of judgment comes
even the heavens
 will experience a greater peace.
The new heaven will be filled with people
 from every age and time.
The new heaven will be pure love joy and peace.
There will no longer be the need for repentance
or sorrow in this new heaven.
All that is not of the goodness of God will no longer plague creation.
The new heaven will be the never ending joyful
glorious celebration of the Trinity.

Jesus uses the example of the fig tree in today's gospel reading.

Consider the fig tree and all the other trees.
When their buds burst open,
you see for yourselves and know that summer is now near...

The fig tree is the third tree mentioned by name in the Bible...

Genesis 3:7.

Growing to nearly 20 feet with large leaves,
the fig tree provides shade.
Minute wasps cultivate these trees,
and the fig is produced
before the leaves emerge.
The flower of the tree is never seen,
as its many tiny flowers are housed within the fruit bud.
Two crops are produced each year. The first crop is eaten fresh,
while the second crop is dried for winter. 

While the blossom of the fig tree is never seen the

the tiny wasps inside are hard at work
pollinating the fruit.
The male never leaves the fig dying there.
The tiny females emerge from the fig through a path
created for her by the male.

Later she flies to another fig enters into a similar hole,
culminating her life pollinating another fig.

The new earth and the new heaven will burst forth
as it should be when the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.

Blessings as we contemplate all 'new' beginnings.

Jesus makes all things new...
He prepares to make you a new creation.

~~~Peace~~~

Renew the Face of the Earth

~~~ Holy Saturday ~~~

~~Genesis 1:1-2:2~~Psalm 104~~Genesis 22:1-18~~
~~Psalm 16~~Exodus 14:15-15:1~~

Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory.

~~Isaiah 54:5-14~~Psalm 30~~Isaiah 55:1-11~~

You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.

~~Baruch 3:9-15, 32-4:4~~Psalm 19~~Ezekiel 36:16-17a, 18-28~~

~~~Romans 6:3-11~~~Psalm 118~~`

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

~~~ Matthew 28:1-10 ~~~

Each year the holy church in her wisdom gives us the history of our salvation.

From the beginning of creation God made evident how he loved us.

He created everything for us.

We are profoundly reminded through our senses of the the contrast 

between darkness and light.

We are given the cool refreshing and sometimes raging waters.

God populated the new earth with every living creature;

on the land and under the water.

The earth was teaming with life and beauty.

Every year we sing...

Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.

Every year we are given the chance to see the world renewed...

to see the world as God intended it to be from the beginning, creation.

It is fitting that we are in the Springtime 

of the year; we have visible signs of new birth and new growth.

God put Abraham to the test.

Abraham was willing to sacrifice his young son Isaac.

Abraham was ready to prove his undying willingness to obey God.

From that time forward God blessed the descendants of Abraham.

God chose Moses to lead his people out of the desert.

He gave them all that they needed.

He saved them from their enemies by parting the sea.

He fed them with manna from heaven 

'like the dewfall'.

Sadly, his chosen people became a disappointment for God.

They acted just like bratty spoiled children...

whining and complaining.

God never stopped loving.

He continues to give.

My favorite reading is Isaiah 55: 1-11

All you who are thirsty,
come to the water!

What are you waiting for? 

He is here loving, giving, satisfying your thirst.

Seek the Lord while he may be found...

He is generous...His ways are not like ours.

He is a magnanimous God.

He has the words of everlasting life.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. 

The stone has been rolled back...the tomb is empty...the burial cloths are folded.

“Do not be afraid!

Go tell everyone He is Risen.

It is now a time of rejoicing.

He has given us life eternal the greatest gift of all.

Alleluia, we are blessed beyond words.

He Creates Joy

~~~ Isaiah 65:17-21 ~~~Psalm 30 ~~~ John 4:43-54 ~~~

We are at the mid point of our Lenten journey;
 the readings are filled with joy.
Jesus came so that we might have eternal life...
that we might be saved from our own weaknesses.
He indeed came to make all things new.
The old ways were no longer sufficient; he gave us more.
God the Father wanted more for us because he loves us.

Thus says the LORD:
Lo, I am about to create new heavens
and a new earth;
The things of the past shall not be remembered
or come to mind.
Instead, there shall always be rejoicing and happiness
in what I create...

Wow! There will always be rejoicing and happiness
 in what I create.
Notice he said always,
 not sometimes or occasionally, but always.
In our world today we lose sight of joy.
Happiness is often too hard to grasp, or so we feel.

Jesus is about to be crucified and he wants us
 to find joy in his dying for us.
He wants our laughter and joyful singing rather than our tears.

No longer shall the sound of weeping be heard there,
or the sound of crying...

He makes all things new in heaven and on earth.
He wants us to look forward to his new creations...
the things of the past remember no more.
His new creation...eternal life...
washes away our past sins.

You changed my mourning into dancing;

O LORD, my God, forever will I give you thanks.

It is in dying that he secured for us our heavenly home.
In heaven there is only the glory and joy of God.
There will be no more sadness...no more weeping,
but dancing and singing his praises.

Jesus returns to Cana, where he performed his first miracle
changing water into wine.
This visit would be different;
he was able to grant the healing of the soldier's son.
At the very moment he spoke the words of healing
 the child was given new life.

The father realized that just at that time 
Jesus had said to him,
“Your son will live,”

There was nothing but joy and happiness;
that was the only possible response.

Jesus restored the child's life.
Jesus is our Life.
We are his new creation.
We are constantly given the opportunity to become his new creation .
There is no end to what God can create in our lives.

I invite you to pray that God will open your heart
to become his new creation.
All things are possible with God.
There is still time to have a good Lent.
A Lent where you are changed into a new creation.
It is possible to live in joy.
Blessing come in sharing the joy of the Lord.

Do it today...rejoice in his new creation.

It is you!