...husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one hates his own flesh but rather nourishes and cherishes it, even as Christ does the Church, because we are members of his Body.
Romans, Chapter 12, Verse 9-10
9 Let love be sincere; hate what is evil, hold
on to what is good; 10 love one another with mutual affection;
anticipate one another in showing honor.
In other words behave
like a Christian. You cannot separate leadership from relationships. Do not
assume that everyone will follow you or your ideas because you are a designated
leader or that your knowledge qualifies you to lead. People are not interested
in what you know but only if you really care. Therefore be sincere; if you
really care about someone you will tell them what they need to know and not necessarily
what they like to hear. Paul in this chapter guides us on how to lead through
relationships.
The Leader and Relationships (Rom. 12:9-21)[1]
1.
Avoid hypocrisy—be sincere and genuine (v.9).
2.
Be loyal to colleagues and treat others like brothers
or sisters (v.10).
3.
Give preference to others—honor the desires of others
above your own (v.10).
4.
Be hospitable—look for ways to meet the needs of others
(v.13).
5.
Return good for evil—act, don’t react, when others hurt
you (v.14).
6.
Identify with others—treat others needs or victories as
your own (v.15).
7.
Be open-minded towards others—seek to connect with
anyone you speak to (v. 16).
8.
Treat everyone with respect—this is a compliment to any
person (v.17).
9.
Do everything possible to keep peace—choose wisely which
hills to die on (v.18).
10. Remove
revenge from your life—let God judge others; you love them. (vv.19-21).
God himself created sexuality, which is a marvelous gift to his creatures. If this gift needs to be cultivated and directed, it is to prevent the “impoverishment of an authentic value.” Saint John Paul II rejected the claim that the Church’s teaching is “a negation of the value of human sexuality”, or that the Church simply tolerates sexuality “because it is necessary for procreation.” Sexual desire is not something to be looked down upon, and “and there can be no attempt whatsoever to call into question its necessity.” To those who fear that the training of the passions and of sexuality detracts from the spontaneity of sexual love, Saint John Paul II replied that human persons are “called to full and mature spontaneity in their relationships,” a maturity that “is the gradual fruit of a discernment of the impulses of one’s own heart.” This calls for discipline and self-mastery, since every human person “must learn, with perseverance and consistency, the meaning of his or her body.” Sexuality is not a means of gratification or entertainment; it is an interpersonal language wherein the other is taken seriously, in his or her sacred and inviolable dignity. As such, “the human heart comes to participate, so to speak, in another kind of spontaneity.” In this context, the erotic appears as a specifically human manifestation of sexuality. It enables us to discover “the nuptial meaning of the body and the authentic dignity of the gift.” In his catechesis on the theology of the body, Saint John Paul II taught that sexual differentiation not only is “a source of fruitfulness and procreation,” but also possesses “the capacity of expressing love: that love precisely in which the human person becomes a gift.” A healthy sexual desire, albeit closely joined to a pursuit of pleasure, always involves a sense of wonder, and for that very reason can humanize the impulses. In no way, then, can we consider the erotic dimension of love simply as a permissible evil or a burden to be tolerated for the good of the family. Rather, it must be seen as gift from God that enriches the relationship of the spouses. As a passion sublimated by a love respectful of the dignity of the other, it becomes a “pure, unadulterated affirmation” revealing the marvels of which the human heart is capable. In this way, even momentarily, we can feel that “life has turned out good and happy.”
Simchat Torah (Hebrew: שמחת תורה) commemorates the joy
of the Jews having the Torah (Bible and its instruction). On Simchat
Torah, many services read all five Books of Moses. Every Sabbath morning,
a portion of the Five Books of Moses (Torah) is read in Synagogues in the
presence of ten adult men(aquorum).
Simchat Torah Facts
- · It is customary for people dance with the Torah Scrolls in Orthodox and Traditional Synagogues with singing and dancing. They make seven cycles Hakafot around the synagogue, both on the Eve of Simchat Torah and in the Morning Service.
- · Children often join in the main adult Synagogue service carry flags, mock Torah scrolls. Young children are often carried on their fathers' shoulders or piggy-backed around the Synagogue. All the children under 13 are called up to the Torah under a canopy or prayer shawl (Tallit). This is considered to be a special honor, which is not allowed the rest of the year and brings the children closer to the Torah.
- · Many congregations often have children's services in which each child gets a turn to read part of the Torah, to dance with a mock Torah scroll or to sing a Jewish song.
- · It is customary to make a festive Kiddush (light meal with wine) after the morning service.
Simchat Torah Top
Events and Things to Do
- · Attend a local Simchat Torah Celebration held at many Synagogues.
- · Pray for Rain. Shemini Azeret and Simchat Torah is often accompanied by prayers for the rain. The holidays are in the autumn, which is a critical period in Israel for harvests.
- · Attend a Hakafot Shniot on the night after Simchat Torah. This is a replay of the Simchat Torah festivities, but in which Orthodox people can play musical instruments (which are forbidden during the festivals).
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