Leap Year
Dolls
Pilgrimage
Twelve
Water
Laying and Lying
March
The Greatest"
Stars
"The Other Shore"
Campus/Palms
Speakers
Holy Week
Easter
Leap Year
02/03/01
The natural divisions of time are days, months and years. A day is the time it takes for the earth to make one rotation on its axis. A month is the time it takes the moon to make one revolution around the earth. And a year is the time it takes the earth to make one revolution around the sun. But constructing a calendar in which all three divisions are harmonized in a way that keeps them in line with each other and the seasonal changes over a long period of time is a problem. In the calendar established in 45 B. C. by the Roman ruler, Julius Caesar, known as the Julian, or Old Style, calendar, one year consisted of 365 1/4 days. At the end of four years, therefore, an extra day needed to be added to the year. Such years, having 366 days, were called "leap years" because, in ordinary years, the day of the month that falls on Monday one year will fall on Tuesday the next year and on Wednesday the year after, but on the fourth year, it will "leap over" Thursday to Friday because an extra day has been added. A more exact measurement determined, however, that it takes 365 days, five hours, 48 minutes and 46 seconds for the earth to make a revolution around the sun. Thus, in 1582, a New Style, or Gregorian, calendar was established by Pope Gregory XIII. According to this calendar, every fourth year is a leap year, but only the centenary years (years ending in 00) which are divisible by 400 become leap years. Thus, the years 1600 and 2000 were leap years, but 1700, 1800 and 1900 were not. In leap years, the month of February has 29 days, but since this year is an ordinary year, it has 28. (394)
Dolls
02/03/03
In Japan, where odd numbers are considered more favorable than even ones, five seasonal festivals are observed on odd-numbered days of odd-numbered months. The 3rd day of the 3rd month is the day of the Doll Festival. American girls consider a doll a plaything. They have dolls of different sizes and enjoy holding them, making them stand or sit and dressing them in a variety of clothes. But in Japan, dolls are usually considered works of art to be looked at rather than to be played with. Many dolls are enclosed in glass cases, have adult faces and beautiful kimono that are never changed. The particular dolls that are on display in Japanese homes during the Doll Festival are also wearing traditional kimonos. They are not to be handled but are only to be looked at. The full set of 15 dolls are arranged on a 7-tiered platform. The two on the top tier represent the emperor and empress. Those on the lower tiers represent court-ladies, court-guards, musicians and jesters. In traditional Japanese homes with girls in the family, the platform and dolls are taken out of storage and displayed for a couple of weeks. On March the 3rd, girls dress up in pretty clothes themselves and invite friends over to partake of special refreshments and to admire their doll collection. The English word "doll" was originally a nickname for Dorothy or Dorothea, which is derived from Greek words meaning "gift of God." These words are found in the New Testament Letter to the Ephesians, chapter 2, verse 8, where it is written that salvation is not the result of human effort. Rather, it is a "gift of God" which is received by faith. (396)
Pilgrimage
02/03/06
The word "pilgrim" is derived from a Latin word meaning "foreigner". It is used in that sense in the King James Version of Hebrews 11:13, where it is stated that devout believers before the coming of the Messiah considered themselves "strangers and pilgrims on the earth." Generally, however, a "pilgrim" is a person who goes on a trip to a shrine, a sacred site or some other place for a religious purpose. When written with a capital P, it refers to one of the English Puritans who, in 1620, founded the colony of Plymouth in what became the New England state of Massachusetts. "Pilgrimage" may denote a journey to a sacred place and during this Lenten season preceding Good Friday and Easter, some Christians make a pilgrimage to the "Holy Land" where Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection took place. Muslims are expected, or required, to make a pilgrimage to the Arabian city of Mecca. According to Muslim tradition, it was in a cave near there that Muhammed received his revelation from God. Nowadays, there are strict rules regarding the clothing worn by those on that pilgrimage and the rituals they observe while there. Multitudes of Muslims have recently returned from such a pilgrimage. In a wider sense of the word, any long journey or search for something, or life itself, may be called a "pilgrimage". Sir Walter Ralegh in "The Passionate Man's Pilgrimage", wrote: "Give me . . . My bottle of salvation, My gown of glory, hope's true gage, And thus I'll take my pilgrimage." All of us are on a pilgrimage through life and should consider the end toward which we are moving and the progress we are making. (397)
Twelve
02/03/08
Since human beings have ten fingers and ten toes, it is not surprising that 10 became the base of our counting system and of the metric system of weights and measures. The number 12, however, is associated with the calendar and time. There are 12 hours in a day, 12 months in a year and 12 signs of the zodiac. In the Old Testament, there were 12 tribes of Israel related to the 12 sons of Jacob. In the New Testament, Jesus chose 12 men from among many disciples to be his apostles and in the vision of heaven recorded in the Apocalypse, there were 12 gates to the heavenly city. In the Christian Church year, there are 12 days of Christmas, between Christmas and Epiphany, the last night of which, the night before Epiphany, is known as the "Twelfth Night" and this became the name of one of Shakespeare's dramas. In former days, in Great Britain, there were 12 pence to a shilling and, even now, there are 12 inches in a foot, which is the basis of linear measurement in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the United States of America and some other countries. The word "inch" is derived from a Latin word meaning "12th part". Originally, it was roughly the length of a thumb's breadth but in 1305, King Edward I decreed that an inch should be the measure of three dried barleycorns. Thus, before the use of rulers, measurements were not very exact. Finally, there is a separate word to denote a group of 12. It is the word "dozen", but a "baker's dozen" means 13 from the custom of bakers to add an extra roll as a safeguard against the possibility of 12 weighing less than required. (395)
Water
02/03/11
Water, one of the most common elements in our world, exists in three forms: liquid, solid and gas, or vapor. As a solid, it is called "ice" and the vaporized form is "steam". As a liquid or ice, it covers about 70% of the earth's surface. Most of the living tissue of human beings consists of water, including 92% of blood plasma, 80% of muscle tissue, 60% of red blood cells and over half of most other tissues. In former times, water was considered an odorless, tasteless, colorless, transparent liquid, but nowadays such simple observations are no longer valid. Streams and rivers, lakes and oceans have become polluted with many different kinds of waste and periodic tests of public water systems need to be conducted. Last month, in the small West Virginia town of Berkeley Springs, 6 countries, 18 states and the District of Columbia competed in the 12th annual International Water Tasting event. Four categories of water were recognized: municipal, bottled, purified and carbonated bottled. Generally, natural water tastes better and is colorless, clear and odor-free, but some water has a chlorine, salty or metallic taste. Obviously, tasting is subjective with individual preferences influenced by childhood experiences or acquired tastes, but the water tasting judges awarded first prizes in the above-mentioned categories for water from Quebec (Canada), Sweden, Manitoba (Canada) and Bosnia. On two different occasions recorded in the Gospel of John (4:7-14; 7:37-39) Jesus speaks of the "living water" he will give to those spiritually thirsty people who ask for it. (398)
Laying and Lying
02/03/14
Many speakers of English confuse the verbs "lay" and "lie". "Lay" is a transitive verb, meaning to put or place, and takes an object. Thus, I may "lay books on the table." But "lie" is an intransitive verb, meaning to recline, and does not take an object. Thus, I may "lie on the bed." But "lay" is also the past tense of "lie", while the past tense of "lay" is "laid". Thus, I may say "I laid the books on the table yesterday, then I lay in bed." To add to this confusion, there is another word, "lie". As a noun, it denotes a false statement; as a verb it means to tell a lie and the past tense of this verb is "lied". Some people find it easy to lie. Those in positions of authority in politics or business may think that lying is beneficial. Others lie to please people or to make a good impression on them. A "diplomatic or well-intentioned untruth" is called a "white lie", but from a moralistic viewpoint, even such lies should be avoided for there are other ways to accomplish this aim that do not involve lying. Aristippus, a Greek philosopher in the 4th century B. C. wrote: "You can best reward a liar by believing nothing of what he says." The Greek biographer, Plutarch, wrote: "Lying is a most disgraceful vice; it first despises God and then fears men." According to the Scottish essayist, Thomas Carlyle, "A lie should be trampled on and extinguished wherever found. I am for fumigating the atmosphere when I suspect that falsehood, like pestilence, breathes around me." And in the Old Testament book of Proverbs 14:25, we read: "A truthful witness saves lives, but one who utters lies is a betrayer." (399)
March
02/03/15
When used as a verb, "march" means to walk in a formal manner with measured steps at a steady rate. This kind of marching is primarily done by soldiers or other military troops, but groups, such as bands, also march when they are in parades. This verb may have a more general meaning of simply advancing with steady movement, so we may say that "time marches on." As a noun, "march" may denote a musical composition to accompany marching, but it may also mean simply forward movement or progression, so we may speak of the "march of time." This third month of the year is called March, in English, but this word is not related to the marching noted above. Rather, it comes from the name of the Roman god of war, Mars, which is also the name given to one of the planets that encircle the sun--the one that has a reddish color and is about half the size of the Earth. In the month of March, there are many evidences of new life in nature as the season of spring begins. But March weather may also be changeable, so there is the saying that "March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb." In the ancient Roman calendar, the 15th days of March, May, July and October and the 13th days of the other months were called "Ides." In Shakespeare's play, Julius Caesar, before Caesar's assassination, a soothsayer warned him about the "ides of March," so the saying "Beware the Ides of March" is a warning of impending and certain danger. It is on the 15th day of March that income tax returns are due in Japan, so some people there may consider this warning relevant even today. (403)
The Greatest"
02/03/17
This Penney Retirement Community, located in Penney Farms, Florida, includes many retired ministers, missionaries and other church workers. Since there are so many ministers here, we take turns preaching on Sunday mornings at the church in the center of the community. Since we come from many different church traditions and denominational backgrounds, there is a great variety in the kinds of sermons and viewpoints presented. Thus, it is important to try to keep our minds open to new ways of thinking, to different ways of interpreting the scriptures and to diverse theological emphases, which is to say that we are continuing to grow in our understanding of truth. Last Sunday, it was my turn to preach and my wife served as the worship service leader, or liturgist. My text was Luke 22:19-30, where it is recorded that even at the Last Supper of Jesus with his disciples, the disciples were arguing about which of them was the greatest. Even though they had heard Jesus' teaching and seen his example, they had not imbibed his spirit of humility. Jesus taught here and elsewhere that those who humbly and selflessly serve others are the greatest. Jesus himself provided an example, as recorded in the 13th chapter of the Gospel of John, when he took the place of a servant and washed the feet of his disciples. It is my custom to provide a "sermon feedback" session on the day following my sermon, so on Monday such a time was held when those present were able to ask questions, raise objections or make comments relating to what I had said in my sermon. It was a very stimulating time. (401)
Stars
02/03/21
In answer to the question, "What is a star?" one must understand the context or situation in which the question is raised. If we are speaking of sports events or theatrical performances, "star" may denote outstanding or superior individuals. If the question is brought up in an astronomy class, the answer will be much more complicated. A star is a "hot, incandescent sphere of gas, held together by its own gravitation and emitting light . . . whose ultimate source is nuclear energy." The number of stars in the universe are beyond our comprehension. Stars are grouped together in "galaxies". The universe contains billions of galaxies and each galaxy contains billions of stars. The galaxy in which the solar system is located is called the Milky Way because of the way its luminous band appears in the night sky. In fact, the word "galaxy" is derived from the Greek word for "milk". On a clear night in a dark place with no obstructions on the horizon, it is said that about 2,500 stars are visible to the naked eye. Of course, using "far seeing" telescopes, many more can be seen. The prefix "tele", rooted in the Greek word for "far", is also found in the words "telephone," "telegraph" and "television." The sun, at the basis of the solar system, is a star which provides the Earth with both heat and light, even though it is about 150 million kilometers away. After viewing the sky thousands of years ago, a poet wrote these words in the 8th Psalm: "O Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth. When I consider the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him?" (402)
"The Other Shore"
02/03/22
The land next to the sea or ocean may be called a "coast". The eastern part of the United States of America is located along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. There are 14 states along that coast, but this northeastern part of Florida is called the "First Coast" because it was on this coast that the first permanent European settlement was established in 1565. Another word for "coast" is "seashore." "Shore" has a wider meaning than "coast" and may denote the land along the edge of a lake or river as well as a sea or ocean. My hometown was located on the western shore of Lake Michigan. Sometimes, the division between the land of the living and the sphere of departed spirits has been likened to a river. Using that figure, those of us still alive are on "this shore", while spirits of those who have died are on "the other shore." In Japanese Buddhism, that "yonder shore" is called "higan." In Japan, "Higan" also denotes the week of the "equinox" (from Latin words meaning "equal night") in spring and fall when the length of day and night are equal. On those days, the sun seems to set directly in the west, which is the direction of the "Pure Land", or paradise, according to Japanese Buddhist teaching. During "Higan," pious Japanese Buddhists visit family graves and make offerings in memory of their departed loved ones. The equinoxes are national holidays in Japan, marking the divisions between winter and spring, summer and fall and there is a saying that "cold and heat last until 'Higan'". Spring is the season of new beginnings in nature and of new hopes in the hearts of those who have faith in a merciful Ruler of nature. (405)
Campus/Palms
02/03/25
The word "campus", from the Latin word for "field", usually denotes the grounds of an educational institution, but the area of Penney Retirement Community is called a "campus" by its residents. This campus, which includes about 192 acres, or 77 hectares, has been designed so that streets run north and south and avenues run east and west. At the center of the community is the Penney Memorial Church, located at the end of a boulevard. Most of the cottages and independent housing units on this campus are surrounded by spacious lawns and there are many trees both in the lawns and along the streets, avenues and boulevard. These trees include magnolias which bear pretty flowers, which bloom and fall down, and evergreen trees such as pines, live oaks and palms. Branches of the magnolias, pines and oak trees extend far out from the trunk, providing shade for the surrounding area, but palm trees do not have branches. The large palm leaves, or fronds, grow out of the top of the trunk. Palm leaves were symbols of victory from ancient times. In the 1st century B.C., the Latin poet, Horace, wrote of the "victor's palm" and in the heavenly vision recorded in Revelation 7:9, there was a multitude "wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands." In the Christian Church year, the Sunday before Easter, which falls on March 24th this year, is called Palm Sunday, commemorating the Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, when, according to John 12:13, people "took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, 'Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'" (400)
Speakers
02/03/27
Animals communicate by using characteristic sounds. In English, different verbs are used to indicate those sounds depending upon the animal that makes them. For example, dogs "bark", cats "meow", horses "neigh", donkeys "bray", cows "moo", pigs "grunt", sheep and goats "bleat" and lions "roar". In the case of human beings, words are used to communicate. But if words cannot be understood, gestures may also be used. This is often the case when we travel in a country whose language we do not understand. "Speak" and "talk" are synonyms. Both of these verbs denote the uttering of words to communicate meaning, but "speak" may imply a more formal or authoritative utterance while "talk" is used for ordinary conversation. A speaker may deliver a speech, but a talker communicates more informally. Robert Lee Frost, an American poet, has written: "Half the world is composed of people who have something to say and can't, and the other half who have nothing to say and keep on saying it." According to a well-known German proverb, "Speech is silvern, silence is golden." "Speaker" may also signify a "loudspeaker," which does not denote a speaker who speaks loudly but to a device that converts electric signals to audible sound. When spelled with a capital S, "Speaker" may signify the presiding officer of a legislative assembly, but it is interesting to find that, in England, the Speaker of the House is not allowed to speak. From an ethical standpoint, we should always speak the truth, but according to the New Testament book of Ephesians, chapter 4, verse 15, we should speak the truth "in love," (404)
Holy Week
02/03/29
This week before Easter (beginning with Palm Sunday) is called "Holy Week" in the Christian Church. During this week, major events that occurred during the last week of Jesus' life are commemorated. Two special days this week are Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. On Thursday of that final week, Jesus met with his disciples and they ate together. This is now called the Last Supper. At that time, Jesus took bread, representing his body, and wine, representing his blood, and instructed his disciples to remember his sacrificial death by partaking of these elements. Christian churches today seek to follow his command in their observance of what may be called the Lord's Supper, Communion or the Eucharist (from the Latin word for "gratitude"). At that time, Jesus assumed the role of a servant, washed his disciples' feet and told them to "wash one another's feet" (John 13:3-15). He then gave them a "new commandment": "Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (John 13:34-35). "Maundy" is derived from the Latin word for "commandment" which was the first word of a liturgical song sung during the ritual of washing the feet. On Good Friday, Jesus' death on the cross is commemorated. In Paul's Letter to the Romans, chapter 5, verses 6-11, it is written that Christ's death demonstrated God's love for us and that through his death we have been reconciled to God. It is for that reason that the day commemorating Jesus' agonizing death is considered a "Good" Friday. (407)
Easter
02/03/31
The word "Easter" is derived from the name of an ancient goddess of spring whose festival was celebrated at this time of year, but it is now the name of the most important festival of the Christian Church, commemorating the resurrection of Jesus, the Christ. Each of the four Gospels at the beginning of the New Testament end with an account of Jesus' resurrection from the dead. In the last chapter of Japanese novelist Shusaku Endo's "A Life of Jesus," entitled "The Question", we find these words: "Is the resurrection an historical fact? Or is it an episode employed to symbolize the deathless memory of the Christ? In order to get our thinking straight on this question, we must begin by considering the disciples themselves, who are reported to be eyewitnesses to what really happened. One of the deepest mysteries we encounter in reading the Bible is how it could be that these disciples, who had been cowards, became in the end courageous apostles. How was it that these same cowards, who in the words of Mark 'all deserted him and ran away' when Jesus was arrested, afterward 'went out and preached everywhere,' not only to the Israelites for they also undertook distant journeys to other countries. The question is: How were such men able to endure all manner of persecution and even death?" Indeed, this is a crucial question that must be considered. The answer of the New Testament and of the Church throughout the ages has been that Christ appeared to the disciples following his death and empowered them to be his witnesses and it is that new, spiritual life that is being celebrated on Easter Sunday. (408)