God's cascading love

Since taking up the specific study of the book of Jude, I have discovered a wonderful testimony of the healing of 2 horses which were in dire trouble. I will share an excerpt from the first healing. Vinny is a horse. The writer and her husband started praying as soon as they noticed a problem with Vinny. They also contacted a Christian Science practitioner. Seeing no improvement after two hours, at the request of their son, the horse's owner, they called a vet. Meanwhile, the practitioner continued praying.

The writer continues:  

By the time the vet arrived, Vinny had collapsed, was unable to rise, and clearly was in great distress. After administering a muscle relaxant to relieve pain as well as another drug to move the intestines, the vet said he had done all he could for the time being, and, “It’s up to St. Jude now.” He and my husband left the corral to phone our son and ask what action he wanted to take. The vet outlined the options as: (1) surgery (which was often unsuccessful), (2) administering heavy doses of painkillers and waiting until morning (which would likely not alleviate the horse’s distress), or (3) euthanizing him. The vet recommended the last one, and our son accepted his advice. 

When my husband and the vet returned to the corral minutes later to carry out the decision, Vinny was not where they had left him. He was up and standing at the waterer. The vet was amazed and said he couldn’t believe it. Vinny was able to walk into the barn, where he started to nibble some hay. About an hour later, he was eating normally. And he has had no
aftereffects from this experience.

When my husband came inside to tell me what had happened, I realized that at about the same time the vet had said it was “up to St. Jude,” I had felt that my prayers were complete. I thought it was right to “let go and let God,” and I did. By this I mean that I needed to let go of the feeling that I was personally responsible for curing the horse, and instead cling to what I knew would help: the understanding that God was actually the horse’s very Life. To me, this “letting go” opened the way for the healing to take place...

May 2013 Christian Science Journal - article "No colic" by Joy Sawyer

What a lovely proof of God's tender care. I like how the book of Jude expresses it in this beautiful benediction from verse 2: May God’s mercy, peace, and love cascade over you! (The Passion Translation) 

Julie Swannell

A new generation of church leaders

Following the passing of the first generation of Christian leaders -- among them, Jesus' disciples and Paul -- a new generation had to pick up the reins. They faced both persecution by the Roman authorities and wavering faithfulness among their flock. 

In 66 AD there was a revolt against Rome. This was swiftly put down when Titus sacked Jerusalem in 70 AD*, causing Christians to disperse to the far corners of the Roman Empire, which by then was huge. ("The majority of information on the siege comes from the copious notes of the Jewish historian Flavius Josephus." (Brittanica))

In a helpful article about the books of the New Testament which follow the gospels, Mary Trammell and Bill Dawley suggest that Jude was written some 40 to 60 years after the horrific events in Jerusalem. A whole new generation would have been born by then. They write:

JUDE

Like the Pastoral epistles, the little book of Jude was probably written sometime between A.D. 110 and 130. It's a stern warning to Christians. The author instructs Christians to be wary of "ungodly men" who pervert the gospel of truth and defy authority. Such people are ungodly sinners, he says, and will have to reckon with divine justice. (See The Early Church Moves Forward in The Christian Science Journal dated May 1993.)

Two passages from Mary Baker Eddy come to thought as I ponder Jude's message.

"If mortals would keep proper ward over mortal mind, the brood of evils which infest it would be cleared out" (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 234: 14), and  

"Each succeeding year unfolds wisdom, beauty, and holiness" (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 246:25). 

The early Christians have given us a strong lead.

Julie Swannell

Jude: short letter - great benediction

Here is a brief, informative and entertaining video (7:44 minutes) covering our book this month - Jude. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UoCmakZmys&vl=en

You will hear that Jude can be pronounced Judah. (Other sources give Judas as an alternate name.)

You will learn that Jude was one of Jesus' brothers and that while none of the brothers followed Jesus during Jesus' time on earth, they did follow his teachings after the resurrection and ascension.

You will see that Jude's brief letter is chock-a-block with references from Jewish texts - some from our Bible, some not - that his compatriots would have understood and been very familiar with. 

You will notice that Jude's letter explicitly faces up to incorrect Christian teaching. Jude's purpose is to "urge [them] to contend for the faith" (verse 3, NIV), something we today must surely also do in our prayers. (In verse 12, he refers to the mistaken teachers as "shepherds who feed only themselves".)

The final verses provide a beautiful benediction (blessing):

"To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen." (NIV)

Those more familiar with the King James Bible, will remember that last verse promises that we are kept "from falling" - always a comforting promise to take away with us when the First Reader gives us this verse as a benediction on Sunday morning.

Julie Swannell