Category Archives: Trogo 1: Something To Chew On

The Most Real

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I remember a number of years ago when we were still living in the mountains of southwestern Pennsylvania. Sue (my wife) had an appointment down in Uniontown, at the bottom of the mountain. I drove her to town, dropped her off and then went for a drive. After running a couple of errands, I thought I would find somewhere to relax and spend some time in much needed prayer and meditation. Having decided this, I drove onto the grounds of a monastery and retreat center that is located in town.

Before this, I had never explored those grounds. They are truly beautiful. This land had once been the estate of one of the local coal barons who prospered in the area decades ago. There is a stately, almost majestic quality to the landscape. Ancient trees overhang neatly trimmed lawns and dot the ridges of rolling hillocks. Scattered among these lovely old trees are a number of shrines and statues of various saints. There are also park benches placed at various spots, inviting you to stop and meditate. I took advantage of one such spot. Continue reading →

Good Friday Meditation

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6:00 a.m.

First light. A new day is just beginning. But for the Son of God, it will be his last day of natural life on this earth.

He sighs. He has been through so much in just the past few hours. Betrayal by a friend; betrayal with a kiss. Arrest. Mocking. The sham of a trial. False accusers and false charges. Utter rejection and feigned horror at the truth He spoke. “Blasphemy!” Now, he has been brought to the Roman governor, to face yet another inquisition, to be charged and found guilty for speaking God’s own truth.

He can hear the city beginning to stir. This is a big day. Passover. In the Temple morning worship is beginning. Incense and prayers and songs. Right now the morning sacrifice is being prepared to be slain, made ready to be offered up to God. An innocent lamb. Right now the eternal sacrifice is being prepared to be crucified, made ready to be offered to God for the people. The Lamb of God. Continue reading →

Walking in Divine Health?

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I normally don’t watch much Christian TV. Most of it is really not worth watching. Oh, I know… you can find some really good preachers, inspiring services, and solid teaching here and there. But you have to wade through the nonsense and inanity to get to the good stuff. Usually not worth the effort. (At least in my opinion. If you disagree, I ask your pardon.) So I don’t watch it. But occasionally when flipping channels, I do come across something that catches my attention. That happened last week. I chanced upon a popular TV preacher, well-known, polished, a very engaging orator. What he said intrigued me at first, then irritated me… finally angered me. That’s why I am writing this.

In the interest of being a gentle, kind Christian I won’t name the brother who was preaching. I want to be diplomatic. Let’s just use a code name instead. How about… well, C$?  Yes, that should work nicely. We’ll call him C$. Continue reading →

Belated Happy St. Patty’s Day

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I wanted to post this yesterday, but what with church and teaching a class last night, I missed the chance. So a happy and belated day of celebration for one of my favorite saints, Patrick of Ireland. Here is his story…

He was from a religious background, but not particularly religious himself. He committed the typical sins of the youths of his time. He was kidnapped at the age of 16, and sold into slavery. He was taken to a land far from his home where he was forced to serve a cruel master for six long years. Then, he made a bold escape. He managed a journey of 200 miles on foot to the coast of the sea. And there he found a miraculous deliverance from the land of his servitude! Does this sound like the plot of a Hollywood film? Maybe it should be, but it’s not. It is part of the story of Patrick of Ireland.
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The City Built Foursquare

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Lately in the circuitous meanderings of my mind I have been considering the importance of the number four. When we think of numbers with spiritual or biblical significance, we usually think of the number seven, of course, and then perhaps of the number three. But four? Yes. Four. It calls to mind the four faces of the cherubim of Ezekiel’s vision, the four living creatures that John saw in the Revelation, and certainly the four gospels. It is also a number representing the earth: the four points of the compass, the four winds, and that sort of thing.

Indeed, it is the significance of the number four in nature that the 2nd century church Father Irenaeus used as a rationale for the appropriateness for there being just four gospels… four and no more. This is not a trivial point. For we live in a day when these same four gospels are coming increasingly under attack. Witness the Gospel of Judas.
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