Ministry Adventures with Cathy

At sundown on Sept. 20 th the shofar was sounded at synagogues worldwide to call Jewish people to gather, to celebrate Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year), and to make amends with their fellow man.  Jewish tradition teaches that three books are opened in heaven at the outset of Rosh Hashanah.  If their good deeds outweigh their bad deeds, they may be inscribed in the book of life – for one year.  Ten days following Rosh Hashanah, Jewish people then seek to make amends with God.  They plead with God at Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, for forgiveness.  The books are then sealed – and so is ones fate…for one year. God requires a blood sacrifice for the atonement of sin (Leviticus 17:11).  The sacrificial system ceased with the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD.   The ultimate sacrifice had already been made – Jesus.  How are sins forgiven today at Yom Kippur?  During our weekly Bible study at a Scottsdale retirement community, Perla walked into the room and stood behind me an

I love autumn!  I mentioned my passion concerning this season last month.  Autumn, in my mind, encompasses the end of July through November.  I wait upon this time of the year with much anticipation.  But, what does autumn mean?  It’s “a period of maturity verging on…DECLINE”!   That’s cheery!?  I guess this is why we have labeled autumn “fall”.  Color has drained from the leaves, they’ve dried out, and fall from their host in a wistful dance to the earth.  The beauty of autumn ends in death throes.  Oh my! As I’m writing, I’m thinking that “fall” is not such a grand name for a season!  It’s precarious!  “Autumn” can be looked upon rapturously because its meaning remains hidden, for the most part, in the splendor of such seasonal drama.  Don’t you think?  But, “fall”?  Who thought to label this crossroad in time “fall”?  You need to know that I’m prone to FALLING. . . When I was five years old, living in the Bronx, NYC, God’s hand upon me became evident.  I FELL down a