From the Pulpit

Milan Kunz Nebraska Mission President The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

The beautiful story of Peter walking on the water (Matthew 14:22-33) teaches us the importance

of keeping our focus on Christ.

It was evening after a long day of teaching and the miracle of feeding the multitude with two

loaves and five fishes when Jesus instructed His disciples to start ahead of Him by ship to the

opposite shore. He being weary remained to send the multitude away.

After time spent alone in prayer, "Jesus came unto them, walking on the sea." When the

disciples saw Him they were afraid, thinking He was a spirit, but the Lord called out to them,

calming their fears.

Impetuously, Peter responded, "if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water." The Lord

gave His permission and Peter descended out of the boat. Here is the lesson — as long as Peter

was focused on the Lord he actually walked upon the sea but when his eyes left the Savior and

focused upon the waves and the wind he began to sink. Crying out in fear, Peter said, "Lord,

save me!" Jesus immediately stretched forth His hand and caught Peter.

As long as our focus remains upon the Savior we will be able to do anything He asks of us. But

when we change our focus to the world around us — meaning our insecurities, pride, sins,

discouragement and all the other day-to-day waves of problems we face — we are left to

ourselves and begin sinking.

Another powerful lesson in this account is that as soon as Peter realized his mistake he called out

to Christ, who immediately saved him. As we return our focus to the Savior, He quickly comes

to our rescue with the love and support only He can give. He is the only one who has the power

to save, our beloved Savior, Jesus Christ.

Monsignor James Gilg St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church

Scripture: Mark 2:1-12

"A heightened awareness of our own sin and failure, without the accompanying message of God's love and mercy, might literally "do us in." Besides the natural consequences that result from immoral decisions and actions, we can begin to pick up a sense that there is something about us that is rotten to the core. We can begin to be overwhelmed and find ourselves as paralyzed emotionally and spiritually as the man in the Gospel today is paralyzed physically. So it is wonderful to hear the words of Jesus, "Child, your sins are forgiven," even before he deals with the physical condition of the paralytic. Jesus knows us well. Our spiritual sickness can be more debilitating than physical illness.

During the coming season of Lent, we will be called to recognize our sinfulness as we approach God with prayer and fasting. We will be asked to purge all of those tendencies that move us away from the good and tempt us to befriend evil in any form. If we try to do this only on our own, without God's grace, we are bound to fail. We may attempt to pretend in many other spheres of life, that we are "self-made men and women." But in the realm of the spirit, it is God who makes us and saves us.

In our first reading today, Isaiah the prophet quotes the word of the Lord that "I am doing something new!" May this sense of God renewing us once again give us spiritual power to pick ourselves up and walk toward the glory of Easter, engulfed in the mercy and compassionate love of God. "

Rev. Dan Delzell Wellspring Lutheran Church

Whitney Houston's funeral is scheduled for today. Her life on earth did not have to end this way. Likewise, there is no reason that your addictions have to become the final chapter of your life on earth.

There is no more time for Whitney in this life. You, on the other hand, do have time to make any changes that are needed. Are you aware of your opportunity, or are you living in the daze of addiction?

On the night before her death, Whitney sang "Jesus Loves Me" in Hollywood. She was a shooting star who has now fallen through the sky. She talked in recent days about looking forward to seeing Jesus. She recently told a friend that she thought her time was drawing near.

Are you ready to go if your time comes this very night? You could sing "Jesus Loves Me" right now and really mean it. It could be the start of your healing and your deliverance from your own demons and addictions. Whitney had her ups and downs. How is it going between you and the Lord?

We have a recovery ministry in our church, as do other churches and organizations. Just let us know if we can help. The support is available in our community for those who are willing to make the commitment to be accountable to others.

Bruce Davis St. Andrew's United Methodist

Transfiguration Weekend is about as close as Protestants get to Mardi Gras. So we'll break out the guitars and put the following lyrics to three-chord rock and roll:

Another mountain

way high upon

Jesus standing

with Peter, James and John

They saw Moses

and Elijah

Jesus' face

shined brighter and brighter

The apostles

were filled with awe

Came down the mountain

Told what they saw

Jesus turned on his light

with Moses and Elijah

Jesus turned on his love light

Burned higher and higher

Let it shine, let it shine,

let it shine

Jesus had asked the apostles, "Who do you say that I am?" In the Transfiguration, he shows them: This is who I am!

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