I've been wading through a small book "The Churches the Apostles Left Behind" by the Catholic scholar Raymond E. Brown.

Chapter 7 of his book is devoted to the Johannine Gospel, and the effect it had on the budding churches. It includes the words -

"Ecclesiology in the Fourth Gospel is dominated by the extraordinary Johannine christology. Because we tend to blend together gospel pictures of Jesus, it is hard for us to realise that among the four gospels only John posits explicitly a pre-existent career of God''s Son....

The Johannine Jesus had glory with his Father before the world began.


... He came down from heaven to this earth, became flesh, and revealed to people what he had seen and heard when he was with the Father. ..... The Jesus of the synoptic Gospels introduces and proclaims God's kingdom, rule, or reign in the world .... But in John, except for 3:3,4, "the kingdom / rule of God" is absent. Rather the figurative or allegorical imagery is applied to Jesus himself, eg. he is the bridegroom.. "I am", I am the vine", I am the sheepgate or the shepherd, I am the bread of life come down from heaven, I am the light of the world" ....

... If Jesus and the Father are one, the rule of God is most perfectly made a reality by Jesus. Instead of entering the kingdom of God as a place, one needs to inhere in Jesus to be part of the community..."

In short, John's Gospel emphasises Christ's divinity far more than the synoptics.

He also pointed out a possible Samaritan influence, claiming "... There were also Samaritan converts. As I explained in detail in (his book) Community, this mixture may have hastened innovative developments in Johannine christology and made Johannine Christians particuarly troublesome in the eyes of the Jews who did not believe in Jesus. (The typical Johannine terminology for the opponents of Jesus, namely, "The Jews," which would be inappropriate on the lips of Jesus during his lifetime, is explicable as the influence of a Samaritan component in the Johannine tradition)...

In any case, beginning in chap. 5, a dominant theme of the Johannine account of Jesus ministry is the hatred that "the Jews" have for Jesus .... there are long debates between between Jesus and "the Jews" that grow increasingly hostile. ... The Jews in anger say, "We are the disciples of Moses..."

John's Gospel is the only one that uses the term "the Jews" in such a hostile manner. Could there have been some Samaritan influence at work, as the Samaritans would not have had a problem denigrating "the Jews" whereas the Jewish disciples themselves would not have been so quick to denigrate their fellow countrymen with such a collective label?

Just a couple of interesting points about the Gospel of John highlighted by Raymond E. Brown.

As cities descend into repeated cycles of chaos and lives are lost in Minnesota, Americans are asking a simple question: how did we get here?

Many Americans, understandably shocked, look at the protests, the violence, and the loss of life and point to immediate causes. Some cite fraud and corruption in federally funded social programs, apparently tolerated by state officials. Others point to aggressive enforcement of immigration law that sparked deadly confrontations.

But these are symptoms, not the cause.

Minnesota is not an outlier; it is a case study of what happens when institutions that once fostered moral restraint abandon that role. The real cause is less obvious because it is far removed from the tragic events we see today in the headlines. It can be traced back decades to what was called the long march through the institutions — a phrase coined in the late 1960s by Marxist student leader Rudi Dutschke. The phrase deliberately echoed Mao Zedong’s Long March, but Dutschke’s was not a military campaign. It was a cultural and ideological one, measured in decades rather than battles.

Continued below.

Like me, you may have recently seen that a group who believe the earth is flat is publicly proclaiming through billboards around the country that Jesus isn’t God. No, I’m not making this up. You can read the CP article on it here.

The organization is named World’s Last Chance, and their billboards say, “Jesus is not God. Scripture says Jesus did not pre-exist in Heaven.” Here’s what they claim on their website about Jesus:

“There is one mediator between Yahuwah and men, the man Christ Yahushua (1 Tim. 2:5) who is the first begotten, totally human, non-pre-existent, son of Yahuwah born of a virgin (Luke 1:26-35). He came to fulfill the promises and covenants of Yahuwah with mankind. He is not ‘God the Son’ of the false ‘trinity.’ He was made of the seed of Abraham and of David (Rom. 1:3).”

And here’s the flat earth part:

Continued below.

Richard T said:

violence does serve as a deterrent to an overly aggressive government.

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Violence is never good, no matter how twisted our ideologies. It should be condemned, but it's glorified by the media, which relies on this for viewership. This amounts to nothing more than impeding the handling of immigration laws. I blame both sides for using this as a political tool, and no one seems to want to change it.

Septuagesima: The Forgotten Season Before Lent — Why the Christian Life Is a Battle

Before Lent begins, the Church enters a forgotten season.
Its name is Septuagesima — a time of exile, seriousness, and preparation for spiritual combat.

In the traditional Catholic calendar, Septuagesima marks a decisive turning point. The joyful language of the liturgy fades. The Alleluia disappears. The Church lowers her voice to remind the soul of a hard but merciful truth: this world is not our home, and salvation is not automatic.

Drawing from the traditional catechesis of Rev. Leonard Goffine and the 1962 Roman Missal, this video explains:

Why the Church prepares the soul before Lent
How the Epistle and Gospel teach perseverance, discipline, and humility
Why the Christian life is described by Scripture as a race and a battle
How Septuagesima restores the memory of the Fall, exile, and the need for grace
Why seriousness, sobriety, and perseverance are necessary for salvation

This is not a season of despair — but of truth.
Not a rejection of joy — but a preparation for it.

“Run so as to obtain.” (1 Corinthians 9:24)

If Septuagesima has been forgotten, its message has not lost its urgency.

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In fellowship -

The same person has been paid compensation by the police for wrongful arrest over the same thing already -

UK police pay Catholic woman £13K for wrongful arrest over silent prayer

"Repeated injustice over silent “thoughtcrime”

In 2023, the charitable volunteer was acquitted in court after being arrested for praying in a local “buffer zone,” under a Public Spaces Protection Order that banned “expressions of approval or disapproval” of abortion. The incident occurred while the abortion facility was closed. The prosecution offered no evidence to support a conviction." - THURSDAY: Christian woman criminally charged for silent prayer to appear in court

I do not know if she did anything different this time, but I was sure that the legal authorities had decided that she was within the law if people had to ask her if she was praying, and she cannot be guilty of influencing someone's decision to use the services offered by the clinic if it is closed when she is standing there anyway.

Morning Prayers

Divinum Officium

Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary — Candlemas, propers & commentary (EF)

Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary with blessing of candles, propers & commentary (EF)

The Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary propers & commentary (EF)

The Morning Offering

Presentation of the Lord—Feast, readings & commentary (OF)

Feast of the Presentation of the Lord readings & commentary (OF)

Daily Gospel

The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple, the Purification, or Candlemas

The Purification, commonly called Candlemas-Day

Pope Saint John Paul and the Presentation

Sermons for Everyday Living - Candlemas 2/2/26

Yarddog said:

More needs to be done to help mothers care for their babies.

Life is precious and mothers are just as precious as their babies.

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Life is indeed precious, both in the womb and after birth, and throughout childhood, and well into adulthood.
God has given us the privilege of helping each other all through life.

KT

Oliver1999 said:

He holds Russian citizenship!

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Could you elaborate ? I would think until the 2022 war, citizenship between Russia & Ukraine was probably often dual but I have no idea.

eclipsenow said:

A NOTE ON REVELATION

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I agree with your general description.

eclipsenow said:

Bottom line? Climate change, nuclear war - they're all covered as part of the categories of suffering described in Revelation, but not PREDICTED by Revelation. It's a sermon on suffering to John's generation, NOT a prophetic timetable of the last few years of human history. (I mean - what good would it have been to the church for 2000 years if it was?)

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Due to the growth of world population, and to missionary »success«, there are more living followers of Jesus than followers who have died in the last 2000 years. Since population growth decreases (in percentage per year), this may change in the future, but AFAIK this statement is still true. So it is not that unreal that the book contains a message predominantly for the majority of the Christians at the end of this world (aion).

On the other hand, a text can have multiple meanings. A simple biblical proof for this is John 10: To the parable in v.1-6, Jesus gives two explanations: I am the door and I am The good shepherd. If Jesus is the door, the shepherds are men who come to the flock, either through Jesus or through another way, so the explanations are not compatible - two meanings of the same parable.

As to prophecy, I refer to Daniel 11. On the one hand, this is a prophecy abut the Hellenistic diadoche rulers, especially to Antiochus IV Epiphanes, which is described in detail. But in Mt 24 we learn that part of this prophecy (which already had a fulfillment: the Zeus altar in the temple) is still to come (Mt 24:15)! Again, a double meaning of a prophecy. And maybe a triple meaning, for in Mt 24 Jesus mixes two themes: the destruction of Jerusalem (70 AD, and there was an abomination of desolation in that tine in the temple) and His coming at the end of our world (since He did not know when He would return, He probably did not feel that He mixed up two themes)..

Seeing a meaning for former generations does not rule out a meaning for the very last times. But I mention the the abomination of desolation is not explicitly mentioned in Revelation (in contrast to other themes from Daniel), so I leave this question open.

eclipsenow said:

THE MILITARY WAR GAMES!
YES! Do you have Netflix where you are?

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It is everywhere, but I don't use it.

eclipsenow said:

That exercise NEARLY caused us to push the button!

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I know, you can read it e.g. on Wikipedia.

eclipsenow said:

(I think there were 5 other extremely close calls since the Cold War started.)

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I think the same.

EDIT: corrected: Jon ro John

PloverWing said:

I can see that reading, yes. We're very good at ambiguity.

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Agreed.

Shalom!
"Make haste to deliver me, O Lord, suppose you, O Lord, help me! Ps 70:2

"Please, Lord, deliver me from debts and fulfill your word in Mk 10,29-30, that you may give me back a hundredfold everything I have lost through my new life as a Christian in Jesus name Amen.

Can you join me in this prayer in Jesus name with your loud speaking "yes in Jesus name"?

May God bless you with the same blessing in Jesus name Amen.

Shalom!
"Make haste to deliver me, O Lord, suppose you, O Lord, help me! Ps 70:2

"Please, Lord, deliver me from debts and fulfill your word in Mk 10,29-30, that you may give me back a hundredfold everything I have lost through my new life as a Christian in Jesus name Amen.

Can you join me in this prayer in Jesus name with your loud speaking "yes in Jesus name"?

May God bless you with the same blessing in Jesus name Amen.

Thank you for praying.

Lord Jesus, have mercy for everybody who prayed for, especially for their family and friends and send them a harvest worker who shares the Gospel in Jesus name Amen.

Who is “a natural man”? They are all humans who are still living according to their human flesh, in accord with their fleshly desires, who have not, by faith in Jesus Christ, been crucified with Christ in death to sin, and raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin but as servants of God and of his righteousness. They are still the “gods” over their own lives, still doing what their natural instincts desire, without regard for God and for his commands, even if they give lip service to the Lord.

And, again, I will point out that this includes many people who profess faith in Jesus Christ with their lips but who do not honor him by how they live. For many give lip service only to God, convinced that all their sins are forgiven, and that heaven awaits them when they die, but while they still live for the sinful pleasures of the flesh, in practice, and not to honor God in obedience to his commands in holy living. For, in truth, they do not accept the things which are truly of God, for their faith and trust are still in human flesh.

So, what are the things of God which are foolishness to them? Mainly, I believe, it is the gospel of our salvation taught by Jesus Christ and by his New Testament apostles, as taught in their original biblical context. For it appears that the majority of those calling themselves “Christians,” at least here in the USA where I live, have largely adopted an altered and cheapened form of the gospel of Christ in order to appease human flesh and to make no requirements for us to die to sin and to obey our Lord in daily practice.

But Jesus Christ taught that to come to him we must deny self, take up our cross daily (die daily to sin), and follow (obey) him. For if we hold on to living in sin and for self, we will lose our lives for eternity. But if we deny self, die daily to sin, by the Spirit, and we walk in obedience to our Lord and to his commands, in his power, then we have eternal life with God. For not everyone who calls him “Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one DOING (obeying) the will of God (see Luke 9:23-26; Matthew 7:21-23).

And, God’s grace, which is bringing us salvation, is training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives while we wait for Jesus’ return. For Christ “gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.” “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (See Titus 2:11-14; Ephesians 2:8-10)

Yet these truths are largely being rejected in today’s American church culture which is being led by human flesh, and not by Jesus Christ. For so much of what is called “church” is not the biblical body of believers in Christ at all, but they are businesses created in the minds of humans which are being marketed to the ungodly of the world who they want to attract to their gatherings. And so they have changed the meaning of “church” and of “the gospel” in order to appease human flesh and to attract the world.

However, if our faith in Jesus Christ is biblical faith, we should be those who have, by the grace of God, denied self, died with Christ to sin, and been raised with Christ to walk now in obedience to his commands in holy living. For we should now have the Spirit of God living within us leading us in the ways of righteousness and holiness. And because we are now in Christ, by faith in him, we have the mind of Christ living within us, too, showing us the way that we should go. And so we want to obey our Lord, to do his will.

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:1-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Acts 26:18]

Willing

An Original Work / August 17, 2011
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

I am willing to obey You;
Have Your Spirit live within me;
Know Your power; be Your witness
To a world who needs You greatly.

Love within me spread to all men,
So that they might come to know Him;
Know His power; His forgiveness;
Be transformed into His likeness.

Holy Spirit, come in power,
Change our hearts within this hour.
May we be like Jesus always;
Be a light that shines in darkness.

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The Natural vs The Spiritual
An Original Work / February 2, 2026
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Firstlightdawn said:

They pay tax when they sell a statue. You do pay tax when you buy the supplies to make the art. I do rock art so I pay people to crush the stone and polish it for me. My aviator is reinstone, I could use polished rocks with that templet, it would be more crude but still interesting. Either way I am working with light.

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So do you mean that "statue" in your earlier post was not a typo? No church that I have been a member of has had a single statue, so maintaining tax-free statues certainly was not their primary objective.

During Abraham's time, circumcision was performed by knives made of rocks as they did not have steel yet. After a male was circumcised, this left him in extreme pain and he was very sensitive to all his surroundings for a month. Even a small change in temperature would bring pain to the male.

How does this point to Salvation?

After Adam and Eve's fall in the garden in Genesis 3, God cursed humanity, and every human has a heart made of stone. That is the result of our disobedience to God. As Adam represents the whole humanity, he is the head of all of us, we all fell in Adam. And we have a problem. Our hearts are made of stone, incapable of following God, we are enslaved to sin.

We need a surgeon who performs a heart surgery. A surgeon who removes the heart of stone and replaces it a heart of flesh which is capable of loving God and following His commandments.

And as it was with Abrahamic circumcision, this heart surgery also leaves us very sensitive to God.

I remember from my experience when I was saved, I realised the sin within me and how evil I was, thinking God would never forgive a sinner like me. I was mourning over my sinfulness and inability of doing anything about it. I needed a Saviour.

And thus every Christian has a heart that wants to follow God and hates sin. It mourns over sin, it is sensitive to God.
But if your heart does not hate sin, and does not want to obey God, you need a surgeon who gives you a new heart of flesh, capable of following God and loving Him, you need a Saviour.

The cruelty is a feature, not a bug. You know a tree by its fruits.

I notice how the story headline seemingly glosses over the fact that the man detained, Maher Tarabishi, was Wael's father.

Divorce ain't good for kids but courts allow it, They even let a parent marry a spouse who isn't loving and faithful or who becomes an alcoholic. Strange,

How sad. One would think judges make decent salaries.

One of the things my old pastor said was that when people die, sometimes "Clocks stop".

We had a clock in the lounge when I was young. I think it was a wedding gift to my mother from her parents. It was one of those that used to chime the number of hours, which meant at midnight it chimed twelve times, and every hour in the early morning hours. It didn't bother me as I'm hard of hearing, and my room was some distance away, but I don't know if my parents were fond of it.

Anyway when her parents died within three days of each other, I think it stopped. They didn't bother to get it repaired.

But I'm not absolutely sure this is all correct, as it was a long time ago and they didn't say much.

Anyway there used to be one of those watch and key cutting stands in the local shopping centre, right outside an Aldi Store. I knew the owner was a watch maker by trade.

So one day I stopped in there after work. He was shutting up and was just about to leave. I told him I was curious about what the pastor said and asked him if he'd had any experience with "Clocks stopping" when people died.

He replied "Often ... many times". He said people would come to him with clocks that had stopped right on the minute when someone in the house had died. He said usually they just needed a service to go again, but it happened far too often to be coincidence. It had happened a lot. I believe sometimes every clock in the house would stop.

He said it was one of the secrets of the watch and clock repair trade.

"Clocks stop".

essentialsaltes said:

New video obtained by 2News has raised legal questions about federal immigration enforcement after border patrol agents broke through the glass door of a locked auto body shop in West Valley City to detain two employees.

“You guys broke the [doggone] window,” a woman can be heard saying in the video.

“Yes, we did,” an agent responds.

“You guys don’t have a [doggone] warrant.”

“We don’t need one.”

Carlos Trujillo, an immigration attorney not connected to the case, said the circumstances described raise serious Fourth Amendment concerns.

“If they didn’t have a warrant authorized by a judge to enter that specific place, they cannot go in, and they cannot break the door violently the way they did it.”

Trujillo said federal agents can, in limited situations, enter private property without a warrant if there are exigent circumstances, such as an immediate danger to others, the destruction of evidence or the pursuit of a dangerous criminal suspect. [CBP has not responded to a request about what exigent circumstances justified this action.]

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No info on the husband and the other person detained, such as if they had arrest warrants out on them. It seems the CPB agent was saying they didn't need a warrant for forcible entry, which would be different than a warrant issued on the suspect. If there was a warrant issued on the suspect, they wouldn't necessarily have a paper copy of that warrant on them. Usually what happens is law enforcement runs a license plate check and the information that appears on their computer screen shows the owner of the vehicle has an outstanding warrant(s).

I don't doubt that's why they made the requests. Leaves Trump with a dilemma. In the past, such moves have resulted in repeated TACOs.

Reporting in these sources shows multiple, high‑value out‑of‑court settlements in the recent period — especially with major media and tech companies — and journalists describe a broader pattern after the 2024 election; but the exact count of suits settled by Trump in the past five years is not provided in the available reporting and would require a systematic docket review to verify