Strangers in this wilderness

The Word of the Day for March 21 is:

parochial \puh-ROH-kee-ul\ (adjective)
1 : of or relating to a church parish
2 : of or relating to a parish as a unit of local
government
*3 : confined or restricted as if within the borders of a parish : limited in range or scope (as to a narrow area or
region) : provincial, narrow

Did you know?
In the Greek New Testament, the word "paroikia" means
"temporary residence." (It's from the Greek word for "stranger" -- "paroikos.")

Early Christians used this designation for their
colonies, because they considered heaven their real home.

But temporary or not, these Christian colonies became more organized as time went on. Thus, in Late Latin, "parochia" became the designation for a group of Christians in a given area under the leadership of one pastor -- what we came to call a "parish" in the 14th century.

Both "parish" and its related adjective "parochial" were borrowed at that time directly from Middle French terms that had been derived from the Late Latin. We didn't begin to use "parochial" in its extended figurative senses until the mid-19th century.


From Mirriam-Webster's Word of the Day. Pretty cool, huh?

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Carry only love. Hate is a burden that is tremendously heavy.

If you want to live like Jesus, love your enemies and give up your life for them.