The Citizen, 1990-12-05, Page 20PAGE 20. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1990.
From the Minister's Study
Love our neighbour as ourselves
ANGLICAN CHURCH
OF CANADA
REV-. DAVID FULLER, B.A., M. DIV.
BY REV. DAVID A. T. FULLER
ST. JOHN’S ANGLICAN
BRUSSELS
TRINITY [ANGLICAN] CHURCH,
BLYTH
Just recently the Anglican com
munities in Brussels and Blyth
heard these words when the Gospel
was proclaimed ... “Love your
neighbour as you love yourselfl’’
These words, found in the Gospels
of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, are
indeed familiar to us.
As many a great sermon has
informed us, they form the con
cluding words of the Great Com
mandment: “Love the Lord your
GOD with all your heart, with all
your soul, and with all your mind ...
(and) love your neighbour as you
love yourself.” To live these words,
as Jesus goes on to say, is to live
the very core of the Faith. In doing
so we will enter into a more
exciting and fulfilling relationships
with God, and we will end many, if
not all, of the injustices that
separate us from others.
But we are to love, as we love
ourselves! Our love for others, and
God, is to be measured by how
much we love ourselves. Whenever
I read the “Great Commandment”,
I often ask myself, “Do we really
love ourselves?”
I ask that question in light of
some very disturbing habits and
trends. We humans do things that
would indicate that we do not
particularly care for our minds,
bodies, and souls. All around us
are fads which promise to help us
quit two very common problems:
smoking and weight problems.
There are also a number of more
proviate services that help us with
other equally harmful behaviours
such as violent behaviour, exces
sive drinking, excessive self-doubt,
sexual issues, drug abuse, and so
on. Thank God we have profession
als to help us with these problems.
The mere existence of such
problems, however, indicates that
we humans do not always love
ourselves. In fact it might even
suggest that we hate ourselves:
would a person who truly loves him
or herself want to turn to some of
these potentially self-destructive
behaviours? These harmful habits
indicate that a person is not coping
well with life and may even be
punishing him or herself.
It has been said that we cannot
truly love others until we truly love
ourselves. If we cannot appreciate
who we are as individuals, our gifts
and talents, our minds and bodies,
then we cannot truly appreciate
and respect the gifts and talents,
and the minds and bodies of others.
Generally we humans have a lot of
self-doubt and self-hatred, and it’s
destructive. In one way or another
it separates us from God and from
every other human being on this
planet. Jesus’ words “...as you
love yourself” is a call to each of us
to begin loving ourselves again.
When we start to love ourselves we
will begin to love others and God
again.
Loving ourselves does not mean
becoming proud and arrogant, k
does not mean looking in the mirror
and self-righteously thinking, “I
am the greatest!” Loving ourselves
does not mean excusing ourselves
of improper and unjust behaviour.
Loving ourselves means looking
in the mirror every day and being
genuinely happy with how God
made us. Loving ourselves means
sitting down with God every day
and appreciating the good creation
that each of us is. Loving ourselves
means that, after God has forgiven
us, we must have the good sense
and courage to forgive ourselves of
the wrong-doings we have commit-,
ted.
ail about! It is positive and honest
That is what loving ourselves is
December9
MORNING PRAYER
Advent2
Brussels
11: 15 a.m.
self-examination done in the pre- all our heart, with all our soul, and
sence of God. Then and only then with all our mind ... (and) love our
can we “love the Lord our God with neighbour as we love ourselves.”
Kingston bound
Blyth Church of God Puppeteers left Friday afternoon for
Kingston, where they are going to perform several shows. They
are, back row frdTn left: Michael deJong, Julia deJong with
Grandpa, Jackie Cook and Leslie Cook. Front row: Katie Cook,
John Albert and Christina Black with Grandma.
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1 BLYTH CHRISTIAN
m REFORMEDCHURCH
HIGHWAY4, BLYTH
DR. W. H. LAMMERS
Sunday at 10a.m. and 2:30p.m.
Sunday School 11:00a.m.
The Church of the ‘‘Back to God Hour” and ‘‘Faith 20”
Back to God Hour 10:30a.m. CKNX Sunday
Faith20 5:00a.m. Weekdays, GlobalT.V.
ALL VISITORS WELCOME
Presbyterian Church
BRUSSELS
Rev. Carolyn McAvoy
11:00 a.m. - Special Mitten Tree Service
9:30 a.m. - Belgrave Service
-Sermon: “Christmas Music:
Zechariah’s Song”
Melville
We welcome you to come and worship with us!
HURON CHAPEL MISSIONARY
CHURCH
PASTOR JAMES H. CARNE
AUBURN 526-7515
10:00 a.m. - Family Bible Hour
11:00 a.m. - Morning Service
8:00 p.m. - Evening Service
Tuesday, 4:15 - Kids’ Klub
Wednesday - Livestyle Evangelism
Friday, 7:30 - Youth
BRUSSELS UNITED CHURCH
Rev. Cameron McMillan
11:00 a.m.
Sunday,
December 9
Church Office 887-6259
/\ ■
Manse 887-9313
//V-11:00 a.m.White Gift Service
Sunday,Church School -
December 9 “Achieving Peace” - Nursery.
Dedication of renovated facili
ties following service.
9:00 a.m.Congregational Breakfast
served by the Church School.*****
Ethel White Gift Service
followed by Congregational Pot
Luck Luncheon.
Come, thou long expected Jesus.
BOYS & GIRLS OF ALL AGES ... COME TO THE
To all of
your friends & family in the
CITIZEN’S SPECIAL CHRISTMAS
GREETINGS PAPER
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21ST
Your personal Christmas Message in its
own block, will be published Friday,
December 21/90 in our special Christmas
Edition. We’lleven include an illustration!
DEADLINE: Tuesday, Dec. 18 at 12 noon
All foronly
CHILDREN’S
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$3.00The
Citizen
Brussels 887-9114 Blyth 523-4792
» While your ijT
y children
shop parents can enjoy
a cup of coffee.
There will be helpers
for young shoppers to
choose the gift just
right for Mother, Dad,
Sister or Brother, y
SAT. DEC. 15,1990
2 P.M. - 4 P.M.
AT
BLYTH UNITED
CHURCH
Children can gift wrap their
own gift or be assisted by one
of our friendly helpers.
All Gifts $1.50 or less