Meditate on the Word - For a Decent and Investigative Christianity (EN)

  Luke 15:4-5 presents one of Jesus' most beautiful parables, the Good Shepherd seeking his lost sheep. In Luke 15:4-5, we read: "Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home." This passage illustrates the immense love and care of God for each of us. Even when we stray from the path, the Good Shepherd never gives up on us. He seeks us with patience and tenderness until He brings us back to the safety of His presence. How often, in the midst of our daily struggles, do we feel lost, like that sheep wandering away from the flock? The emptiness, the sense of loneliness, and the search for answers in the wrong places make us feel disconnected and directionless. Yet, just like the shepherd in the parable, Jesus sees us in our distress and comes to our rescue. He not only finds us, but He ca...

 Forgiveness is a deeply transformative act, and while many focus on the importance of forgiving others, self-forgiveness is equally crucial. The way we judge ourselves, often harsher than the judgment we receive from others, can leave us trapped in a cycle of guilt, shame, and self-condemnation. In this article, we will explore the steps toward self-forgiveness, drawing from a reflective devotional journey to understand how to extend grace and mercy to ourselves, just as we are called to do with others. Facing the Reality of Our Mistakes When Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, their first reaction was to hide—using fig leaves to cover their shame and guilt. This instinct to conceal our mistakes is common to all of us. We often try to mask our errors with excuses, distractions, or defensive behaviors. However, just as hiding did not solve Adam and Eve’s problem, avoiding or denying our mistakes only prolongs the pain. Facing the reality of our sins head-on is the first step...

 The book of Song of Songs, also known as Song of Solomon, is one of the most beautiful poetic books of the Bible, written by Solomon. It portrays the love between the groom and the bride, symbolizing the deep relationship between Christ and His Church. Besides being a sublime expression of human love, Song of Songs also carries prophetic and spiritual significance that invites us to reflect more deeply on our relationship with God. "Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth— for your love is more delightful than wine." (Song of Songs 1:2, NIV) The love described in Song of Songs is compared to wine, a symbol of celebration and joy. However, Solomon takes us beyond this earthly comparison, pointing to a love that is essentially superior and more fulfilling. This love reflects the essence of the first and greatest commandment that Jesus mentions in Matthew 22:37-38: "Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your min...

 God's mission is the expression of His eternal purpose for creation, especially for humanity. Since the fall of man, God has been working throughout history to redeem and restore the broken relationship between Himself and humanity. God's mission, or Missio Dei , is centered on bringing all things back into harmony with His will, and the Church is called to be the primary heir and collaborator in this divine mission. The Church as the Redeemed The Church is made up of those who have been redeemed by the blood of Christ. Redemption is a central concept in the biblical narrative, where God rescues His people from the slavery of sin and death into the freedom of life in Christ. As the redeemed, members of the Church are called to live in a way that reflects this new reality. They are called to be light in a world of darkness, living according to the principles of the Kingdom of God and proclaiming the gospel of salvation to all people. The Church as the Elect The elect are those ...

  A pericope is a specific section or passage of a text, particularly a sacred text, that is considered a cohesive unit of thought. In the biblical context, a pericope is a passage that can be read and understood independently, conveying a complete idea or a specific message. In Ephesians 1:3-14, we find a theologically rich pericope where the apostle Paul presents a doxology, an expression of praise to God, highlighting the spiritual blessings that believers receive in Christ. This passage is considered one of the deepest declarations of faith in the New Testament, exalting the work of the Trinity — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — in the salvation of believers. Main Themes and Structure Spiritual Blessings in Christ (Ephesians 1:3-6): Verse 3: Paul begins by praising God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us "with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ." These spiritual blessings refer to everything we receive from God through Jesus, such...

Since the time of the Garden of Eden, humanity has struggled with fear and self-preservation. When Adam and Eve disobeyed God and hid themselves, fear took root in the human heart, distorting their relationship with the Creator. This initial act of self-preservation set a behavioral pattern that many of us still follow today: we try to protect ourselves from the consequences of our actions, preferring to hide rather than expose ourselves to God's light. Exposing the Nakedness addresses this central issue of the Christian faith: the struggle between fear and trust in God. Fear leads us to build barriers between ourselves and God, to listen to voices that pull us away from Him, and to try to preserve our lives by our own means. These barriers keep us trapped, preventing us from experiencing the fullness of life that God offers. Jesus calls us to trust Him completely, to place our lives in His hands, and to follow His voice amidst the many others that compete for our attention. The v...