“Then they came to Capernaum, and on the sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught. The people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes.”
—Mark 1: 21-22

Mary of us have a vision of Jesus as being meek and mild, courteous an deferential. Our mental image is that of a silent Jesus accepting his fate from Pontius Pilate without complaint.

Tags: Fr. Aloy Funtila | Jesus was not a Wallflower | St. Anastasia

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"Why this commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but asleep." And they ridiculed him.
— Mark 5:39-40

Another one of our less-than endearing qualities is the fact that many people are happy to have something to say just about everything under the sun, often when they do not know really what they are talking about.

Tags: Speaking before Thinking | Fr. Aloy Funtila | St. Anastasia

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“God shows no partiality. Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly is acceptable to him.”

— Acts 10:34-35

In today’s passage from the Acts of the Apostles, St. Peter is recorded as having said that God is impartial. That is taken to mean that although Jesus’ coming was proclaimed in Hebrew scripture, Jesus came to save all humankind from the stain of original sin, the despair of eternal damnation and to proclaim an eternity of heavenly delights for all. In the early Christian church, there was a lengthy discussion as to whether or not Gentiles were to be admitted.

Tags: We Can All Be Saved | Fr. Aloy Funtila | St. Anastasia

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“And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their country by another way.”

— Matthew 2:12

Our Christmas legends, carols and stories all tend to paint the picture of the Baby Jesus being born to Mary and Joseph unnoticed in a stable. The Savior of all humankind seems to have arrived and no one was on hand to welcome Him, we are led to believe.

Tags: The Wise Know Jesus | Fr. Aloy Funtila | St. Anastasia

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"I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd.”
— John 10:16

One of the big points of dissention in the early church was the issue of whether church membership was open only to Jews, or to Gentiles of all manner and form.

Tags: Feed My Sheep | Fr. Aloy Funtila | St. Anastasia

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