Holy Week
Easter
“Colored Races”
Forrest High School
“God Speaks” Billboards
Arbor Day
Genes/Jeans

Holy Week
07/04/03

Something that is set apart for a sacred purpose may be called “holy.” For religious people, a shrine, temple, church or mosque is considered a “holy place.” Certain religions have a “holy book,” through which divine truth is believed to be communicated. In Judaism, it is the “Torah.” In Islam, it is the “Qur’an,” and for Christians, it is the “Bible.” In the traditional Church Calendar, this week preceding Easter Sunday is called “Holy Week.” In it, meaningful events in the final week of Jesus’ life are commemorated. As noted in the previous message, on “Palm Sunday,” Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey, surrounded by cheering crowds waving palm branches. On Thursday, he ate his “Last Supper” with his twelve disciples. During that Jewish Passover meal, the Lord assumed the role of a slave and, as an example of humility, washed his disciples’ feet (John 13:3-15). He also gave them a new commandment “to love one another” (John 13:34-35). The song sung during an ancient footwashing ritual began with the Latin word for “commandment” and, influenced by that word, this “Holy Thursday” is also called “Maundy Thursday.” It was at that meal that Jesus used bread and wine as symbols of his body and blood, which he was to offer up the next day. Christians continue to make use of these symbolic elements in holy rituals, called the “Lord’s Supper,” “Communion” or the “Eucharist.” The Friday of Holy Week is called “Good Friday,” commemorating Jesus’ death on the cross. It may be that this is a corruption of an earlier term, “God’s Friday,” but from the Christian perspective, Jesus’ sacrificial love manifested in his self-denying death on the cross was truly a good deed which continues to produce a good effect even today. (1049)

Easter
07/04/07

On Easter Sunday, Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, the Christ. The date changes from year to year in order to keep it synchronized with the Jewish feast of Passover, which is determined according to a lunar calendar. Now, most churches observe it on the first Sunday following the first full moon on or after the vernal equinox. This year, that day is April 8. “Easter,” is derived from the name of a Teutonic goddess of spring and fertility, whose symbol was the hare and whose festival was held at this time of year in Europe before the advent of Christianity. Spring is the time of new life in nature. From ancient days, eggs have been used to symbolize new life and hard-boiled, brightly colored Easter eggs are often prepared and eaten at this time of year. Since rabbits are well known for their fertility, Easter bunnies are often associated with Easter eggs. According to the Gospel accounts, when Jesus’ friends visited his tomb early in the morning on the first day of the week following his death, they looked inside the tomb and saw no body and nobody. Then they were informed that he had risen and, later, Jesus himself appeared and spoke and ate with his disciples. Christians consider Christ’s resurrection to be a basic element in their faith, signifying the power of God and the final victory of life over death. One of the great mysteries we encounter in the Bible is how Jesus’ disciples, who had been so disheartened, became so courageous. How was it that these same men, who had “deserted him and ran away” when Jesus was arrested, afterward “went out and preached everywhere?” How were these men able to hold on to their faith despite all manner of persecution and even death? 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. (1050)

“Colored Races”
07/04/11

One meaning of “race” is a competition of speed in which contestants try to run or ride very fast. Another word, spelled and pronounced the same, denotes a particular group of human beings having certain common physical characteristics. Often the various “races” are distinguished by color words such as “white,” “black,” or “yellow.” When I was in Japan, I was considered a “white man,” but I often urged people to stop using such colorful words to refer to people because such words are not accurate and have certain implications. In the minds of many people, “white” has the implication of purity; “black” connotes something dirty or impure, and “yellow” is used for cowardly actions. In Japan and in talks about Japan in this country, I have often declared that “I am not a ‘white man.’” And to confirm this declaration, I take a sheet of white paper and hold it next to my hand to illustrate the fact that the color of my skin is not white. I am just as “colored” as any Negro or Japanese. In fact, the skin color of some Japanese is whiter than mine, and I have been asked by people both in Japan and in the U. S. A. whether I had some Japanese in my lineage, but both of my parents were of German extraction. All human beings are people of color and there are many different shades of white, black and yellow. Discrimination based on skin color or race has been a vice in the histories of most nations, but rather than emphasizing differences based on race or skin color, we should recognize that we all belong to the same human family regardless of the particular shade of color of our skin, which also may change depending on our life style. (1051)

Forrest High School
07/04/15

There are many different kinds of schools in the United States of America. Not only are there public schools in every area of the country, there are also many private schools. There are elementary schools, junior high schools, high schools and colleges; and every school has a name. Names of many schools are related to the place where the school is located, but some have been named after famous persons who had some relationship with that school or the area in which it was established. Looking at our telephone directory, I find that the names of most public schools in this area are related to the place where they are located, but one high school in particular has been in the news recently because it is being pressured to change its name. When the school opened in 1959, it was named Forrest High School, in honor of Nathan Bedford Forrest, who rose from the lowly rank of private to the high rank of lieutenant general in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. This war was the result of different views related to slavery. The Confederate states of the South sought to separate from the Union states of the North and to continue to own and control “black” slaves from Africa and their descendants. After the war, Forrest became a leader of the Ku Klux Klan, a secret society that used terroristic methods to assert “white” supremacy. A school advisory committee has recommended that the school’s name be changed because of the poor example Forrest left, which embarrasses its numerous Afro-American students. A suggested new name is Firestone High School because it is located on Firestone Road. Not only do the meaning or implications of words change over the years, but the actions of people are also interpreted differently, depending upon the time and one’s viewpoint. (1052)

“God Speaks” Billboards
07/04/19

As we drive along a highway, whether in an urban area or in the countryside, there are many roadside signs that attract our attention. Some of them are related to rules to be obeyed, including speed limits, cautions regarding road repairs or construction, directions to certain places or warnings about dangerous conditions. A billboard is a special kind of roadside sign that attracts special attention because it is so large and may be visible even after dark because of its illumination. The main use of such billboards is for advertisements, but a recent newspaper article noted a peculiar billboard that is now attracting attention along interstate highways in certain cities in four states. On each of these billboards, there is a short statement in white letters on a dark blue surface ending with the word “ God,” as though God was the writer. It was reported that an unnamed man has spent $400,000 to create these billboards, hoping to stimulate thoughtful consideration on such “words from God” as: “Feeling lost? My Book is your map.” “We need to talk.” “Will the road you’e on get you to My place?” “ Do you have any idea where you’re going?” “Life is short. Eternity isn’t.” “My way is the highway.” On the lower left side of these billboards is an Internet address: “GodSpeaks.com”. Although at the present time we do not know what effect seeing these billboards has on the drivers, passengers or pedestrians who read them, they may stimulate both smiles and frowns as well as deeper thoughts about important subjects. (1053)

Arbor Day
07/04/23

In the United States of America, legal holidays are determined by the individual states rather than by the federal government, which decides the holidays for federal employees. Individual states usually choose to have the same holidays as the federal employees, but they may have holidays on other days as well. Thus, all calendars do not have holidays on the same days. On a couple of calendars in our house, April 22nd is listed as a holiday, called “Arbor Day.” The word “arbor” signifies a shady garden shelter, often made of latticework on which vines, roses or other climbing plants are grown. In the backyard of my parents’ home was the arbor under which they were married in an outdoor wedding ceremony. The word is derived from an old English word meaning “garden.” In many states, Arbor Day is considered tree-planting day when trees are planted in open places on the grounds of state capitols, school grounds and along highways. The planting of trees will not only make the landscape more beautiful; they provide food and lumber, serve as windbreaks and hold moisture in the soil as well as providing shade. The State of Nebraska first observed April 22 as Arbor Day in 1872 to commemorate the birthday of one of the earliest conservationists, Julius Sterling Morton, who served as secretary of agriculture under President Grover Cleveland from 1893 to 1897. In the 16 years after that first Arbor Day in Nebraska, about 350 million trees were planted in that state and today the state has a national forest planted by Nebraskans that covers more than 200,000 acres (approximately 81,000 hectares), from which seedlings are provided to other countries that have seriously depleted forests. Other states observe Arbor Day on other dates, including the last Friday in April. (1054)

Genes/Jeans
07/04/27

Many residents in this Penney Retirement Community have not “retired” from physical or mental activity. Residents who are interested in tracing their lineage and understanding their genealogy may join the Penney Gene Society to investigate their family’s history. Recently, I attended one of their meetings and received helpful instruction about how to make use of the Internet on my computer to download information regarding my German ancestors before they came to this country. “Genes,” spelled g-e-n-e-s, are hereditary elements that are passed on from parents to children. The personality, character, abilities, talents, strengths and weaknesses of an individual may be influenced by the genes received from his/her parents. English dictionaries include another word pronounced the same as “genes” spelled j-e-a-n-s. It denotes blue pants made of heavy, strong, twilled cotton, which are very popular among young people today but are also worn by men as work clothes. Both “Gene” and “Jean” are also used as names in the United States of America. Checking the Directory of Penney Retirement Community, which has about 530 residents, I find that there is one man whose name is “Gene,” eight women whose names are “Jean,” and two women whose name is pronounced the same, but spelled J-e-a-n-n-e. In English-speaking countries, the meaning of names is not so clear as in Japan; some names are especially attractive to some people, but what is considered “attractive” may be due to our genes rather than a conscious choice. (1055)