News - October 2020 RSS Feed

Most, if not all of us, could benefit from some really good news now and then. Our second reading for this Sunday surely provides such great, positive and holy news. When we need to be renewed with a reassuring thought, let us go as often as is helpful to the words that remind us that “we are God’s children now.” Some of us might prefer not to be referred to as children. If so, we recall how Jesus welcomed children, embraced them, and blessed them. We pray that we never outgrow seeing ourselves as child-like, namely, always willing to allow Jesus to give us a loving hug and whisper into our ears that indeed we will always be renewed in the love that God shares so freely and abundantly.

We read in our first reading that when we lend money to someone we are not to demand interest. Also, if someone gives his cloak as a pledge, we are to return it to him before sunset. These guidelines would seem quite strange if we were to implement them today. However, how do we make the sensitivity and care reflected in these guidelines operative in the way that we deal with one another, especially with those in need whom we are moved to help out? It could mean that we don’t add extra burdens to those whom we help out. It would most likely mean that the question, “what’s in it for me?” would be answered by our saying that our helping out someone blesses us with the good feeling that we did something nice, caring and helpful to someone else in the name of our all-generous God.

Please note our food drive will be at the ORANGEVALE FOOD BANK SITE, address: 6483 Main Ave., Orangevale, NOT at Divine Savior. All donations for this food drive will benefit BOTH the Orangevale Seventh-Day Adventist Food Closet AND the Fair Oaks-Orangevale Food Bank. Click on the picture for more details.

Our first reading this Sunday (Isaiah 45:1, 4-6) reveals to us how surprisingly God can intervene in peoples’ lives. The prophet is recounting how God is using a pagan ruler to function on behalf of the people of Israel who had been driven from their homeland into exile. Rather ingeniously, Isaiah weaves together how God takes this person, Cyrus by name, by the hand and directs him to free the people of Israel. God has called Cyrus by name even though Cyrus does not know God. Through this unique individual people will come to know God as the One and only God. If Cyrus can be a faithful servant of God given his situation, then we ought to be all the more capable of doing marvelous things in praise of God.

Let's keep this tradition alive! Join the fun Sunday October 25th from 4 - 5pm for some fun and treats in the back parking lot! Click on the picture for more details.

Some of us wonder where God is, given all that is going on in our lives, including the pandemic, ferocious fires, a crippled economy, and protests in the streets. There is also confusion in our church, with some playing God and telling us how to vote and judging who is eligible to share Holy Communion. How important it is to reflect on these words from our second reading: “my God will fully supply whatever we (you) need.” One way to imagine God’s Presence is to see His Presence in those who are ill, in the trees that burn, in the poor and needy that are deprived of necessary goods, and anybody who suffers needlessly. What if we imagined God asking us, “where are all the people I created with intelligence, a heart and soul and intuition.” God would go on saying, “I sent Jesus who gave you the example of how to come together and love me, others and yourselves. I trust you all to work together to do your best in alleviating the needs of all people. Now, go for it!”