{"id":17197,"date":"2014-11-24T22:32:41","date_gmt":"2014-11-25T04:32:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/?p=17197"},"modified":"2017-04-17T21:59:59","modified_gmt":"2017-04-18T01:59:59","slug":"knowing-jesus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/knowing-jesus\/","title":{"rendered":"Knowing Jesus","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"<div align=\"center\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Resting-on-Heart-of-Christ_Fotor.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"404\" height=\"533\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p align=\"LEFT\"><strong>HAVE <\/strong>you ever met someone who is passionate about their subject? A skydiver, horse-back rider, a sports fan, or an anthropologist, scientist, or antique restorer who lives and breathes their hobby or career? While they can inspire us, and even spark an interest in us toward their subject, Christianity is different. For it is not about the passion of yet another lifestyle, philosophy, or even religious ideal.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p align=\"LEFT\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: small;\">The essence of Christianity is not an idea but a Person. <\/span><\/strong><span style=\"font-size: small;\">\u2014POPE BENEDICT XVI, spontaneous speech to the clergy of Rome; <a href=\"http:\/\/www.zenit.org\/en\/articles\/benedict-xvi-speaks-informally-to-his-priests\">Zenit, May <\/a><\/span><span style=\"font-size: small;\">20th, 2005<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p align=\"LEFT\">\u00a0<\/p>\n<p align=\"LEFT\"><!--more--><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\" align=\"LEFT\">CHRISTIANITY IS A LOVE STORY<\/p>\n<p align=\"LEFT\">What sets Christianity apart from Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and a host of other religions is that it is foremost a <em>love story. <\/em>The Creator has condescended not only to save man, but to love him, and love him <em>intimately<\/em>. Jesus became like us and then gave His life out of love for us. He, in fact, <em>thirsts<\/em> for your love and mine. <span class=\"footnote_referrer\"><a role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" onclick=\"footnote_moveToReference_17197_1('footnote_plugin_reference_17197_1_1');\" onkeypress=\"footnote_moveToReference_17197_1('footnote_plugin_reference_17197_1_1');\" ><sup id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_17197_1_1\" class=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text\">[1]<\/sup><\/a><span id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_17197_1_1\" class=\"footnote_tooltip\">cf. John 4:7; 19:28<\/span><\/span><script type=\"text\/javascript\"> jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_17197_1_1').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_17197_1_1', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top right', relative: true, offset: [10, 10], });<\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p align=\"LEFT\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #000066; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';\">Jesus thirsts; his asking arises from the depths of God\u2019s desire for us&#8230; God thirsts that we may thirst for him.<\/span><\/strong> \u2014<em>Catechism of the Catholic Church<\/em>, n. 2560<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p align=\"LEFT\">It is a beautiful reality&#8230; but one that many cradle Catholics have missed, often because Jesus has never really been presented to them as one who is knocking on their hearts, wanting to be invited in. So it becomes easy to fall into a &#8220;routine of rites,&#8221; a sense of fulfilling an obligation rather than a destiny. What destiny? To be in a deep and loving relationship with the Holy Trinity that transforms every aspect of your life, goals, and purpose.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p align=\"LEFT\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><strong>Sometimes even Catholics have lost or never had the chance to experience Christ personally: not Christ as a mere \u2018paradigm\u2019 or \u2018value\u2019, but as the living Lord, \u2018the way, and the truth, and the life\u2019.<\/strong> \u2014POPE JOHN PAUL II<em>, L\u2019Osservatore Romano<\/em> (English Edition of the Vatican Newspaper), March 24, 1993, p.3.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p align=\"LEFT\">That is, we need to become a character in the <em>divine love story<\/em>&#8230;<\/p>\n<p align=\"LEFT\">\u00a0<\/p>\n<p align=\"LEFT\">PERSONALLY KNOWING JESUS<\/p>\n<p align=\"LEFT\">Ask yourself: Do I talk to others only about the tenets of the Catholic faith, or do I actually speak about Jesus? Do I speak of a God-out-there, or of a friend, a brother, a <em>lover <\/em>who is right here, Emmanuel, God-with-us? Do my days center around Jesus and seeking first His Kingdom, or me and seeking first my kingdom? The answers may reveal whether you allow Jesus to <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft  wp-image-17200\" style=\"margin: 2px 5px 2px 5px;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/photo6-300x175.jpg\" alt=\"photo6\" width=\"237\" height=\"138\" \/>reign in your heart or perhaps keep\u00a0Him at arm&#8217;s length; whether you know only <em>about<\/em> Jesus, or actually <em>know<\/em> Him.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p align=\"LEFT\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><strong>It is necessary to enter into real friendship with Jesus in a personal relationship with him and not to know who Jesus is only from others or from books, but to live an ever deeper personal relationship with Jesus, where we can begin to understand what he is asking of us\u2026 Knowing God is not enough. For a true encounter with him one must also love him. Knowledge must become love. <\/strong>\u2014POPE BENEDICT XVI, Meeting with the youth of Rome, April 6th, 2006; <a href=\"http:\/\/www.vatican.va\/holy_father\/benedict_xvi\/speeches\/2006\/april\/documents\/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20060406_xxi-wyd_en.html\">vatican.va<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p align=\"LEFT\">In one of the many beautiful images of this love story is again the one found in Revelation where Jesus says:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p align=\"LEFT\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, mono; font-size: small;\">Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, [then] I will enter his house and dine with him, and he with me. (Rev 3:20)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p align=\"LEFT\">The fact is that Jesus is often left<span style=\"font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, mono; font-size: small;\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Jesus-Picture-Knocking.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"212\" height=\"325\" align=\"right\" hspace=\"2\" \/><\/span> standing outside the door of many Catholics who have in fact been going to Mass each Sunday their whole lives! Again, maybe it&#8217;s because they have never been invited to open their hearts, or told how to open their hearts and what is involved in developing a relationship with the Lord. It begins, really, by knocking on <em>His<\/em> door.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p align=\"LEFT\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><strong>One must start by praying and talking to the Lord: &#8220;Open the door to me.&#8221; And what St Augustine often says in his homilies: &#8220;I knocked at the door of the Word to find out at last what the Lord wants to say to me.&#8221;<\/strong> \u2014POPE BENEDICT XVI, Meeting with the youth of Rome, April 6th, 2006; <a href=\"http:\/\/www.vatican.va\/holy_father\/benedict_xvi\/speeches\/2006\/april\/documents\/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20060406_xxi-wyd_en.html\">vatican.va<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p align=\"LEFT\">Jesus is waiting to cross the threshold of faith into your heart, while He invites you to cross the threshold of fear into His. Don&#8217;t be afraid of what Jesus can and will do in your life! I have often said to the young people that I have shared the Gospel with in schools: &#8220;Jesus did not come to take away your personality\u2014He came to take away your sins that destroy who you <em>really<\/em> are.&#8221;<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p align=\"LEFT\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #000066; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';\">Man, himself created in the \u201cimage of God\u201d [is] called to a personal relationship with God\u2026<\/span><\/strong>\u2014<em>Catechism of the Catholic Church<\/em>, n. 299<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p align=\"LEFT\">When he became Pope, Benedict XVI said in his first homily that each and every one of us is a &#8220;thought of God,&#8221; that we are not &#8220;casual and meaningless products of evolution&#8221; but rather that &#8220;each of us is willed, each of us is loved.&#8221; God is just waiting for each of us to give our &#8220;yes&#8221; to Him. For His &#8220;yes&#8221; for us was already spoken through the Cross.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p align=\"LEFT\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, mono; font-size: small;\">When you call me, and come and pray to me, I will listen to you. When you look for me, you will find me. Yes, when you seek me with all your heart, I will let you find me&#8230; (Jeremiah 29:12-13)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p align=\"LEFT\">And again,<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p align=\"LEFT\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, mono; font-size: small;\">Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. (James 4:8)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p align=\"LEFT\">Drawing near to God, who is holy, means pulling away from sin, and all that is not holy. But here is where many become afraid, believing the lie that a personal relationship with Jesus is going to take away the &#8220;fun&#8221; of life.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p align=\"LEFT\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><strong>There is nothing more beautiful than to be surprised by the Gospel, by the encounter with Christ. There is nothing more beautiful than to know him and to speak to others of our friendship him. If we let Christ enter fully into our lives, if we open ourselves totally to him, are we not afraid that He might take something away from us? Are we not perhaps afraid to give up something significant, something unique, something that makes life so beautiful? Do we not then risk ending up diminished and deprived for our freedom? No! If we let Christ into our lives, we lose nothing, nothing, absolutely nothing of what makes life free, beautiful and great. No!&#8230; Only in friendship is the great potential of human existence truly revealed. Only in this friendship do we experience beauty and liberation. <\/strong>\u2014POPE BENEDICT XVI, St. Peter&#8217;s Square, Inauguration Homily, April 24th, 2005;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.vatican.va\/holy_father\/benedict_xvi\/homilies\/documents\/hf_ben-xvi_hom_20050424_inizio-pontificato_en.html\"> vatican.va<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p align=\"LEFT\">\u00a0<\/p>\n<p align=\"LEFT\">TRUE WITNESSES<\/p>\n<p align=\"LEFT\">And so, dear brothers and sisters, before we speak further of doctrine or pastoral approaches and all that we&#8217;ve been discussing since the Synod in Rome, we have to make sure that we have the essential in place: a relationship with the Lord. And the Catechism teaches:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p align=\"LEFT\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #000066; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';\">&#8230;prayer <em>is<\/em> the living relationship of the children of God with their Father\u2026 <\/span><\/strong>\u2014<em>Catechism of the Catholic Church<\/em>, n. 2565<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p align=\"LEFT\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/sanluigigonzaga_lovefortheword-thumb.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"240\" height=\"326\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"5\" vspace=\"2\" \/>Going back to what I said at the beginning, it is one thing to have knowledge and even passion about a subject, but Christianity is different. It is not knowing <em>about<\/em> Jesus, but <em>knowing<\/em> Jesus, which comes through a committed sacramental and prayer life and friendship with the Lord. Being witnessess for Christ is not about clever techniques and formulas, but allowing the power and life of the Spirit to pour out of your relationship with Jesus like &#8220;rivers of living water.&#8221; <span class=\"footnote_referrer\"><a role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" onclick=\"footnote_moveToReference_17197_1('footnote_plugin_reference_17197_1_2');\" onkeypress=\"footnote_moveToReference_17197_1('footnote_plugin_reference_17197_1_2');\" ><sup id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_17197_1_2\" class=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text\">[2]<\/sup><\/a><span id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_17197_1_2\" class=\"footnote_tooltip\">cf. John 7:38<\/span><\/span><script type=\"text\/javascript\"> jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_17197_1_2').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_17197_1_2', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top right', relative: true, offset: [10, 10], });<\/script> Because that&#8217;s what happens when you are in love with Love.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p align=\"LEFT\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, mono; font-size: small;\">It is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard. (Acts 4:20)<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"LEFT\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><strong>No, we shall not be saved by a formula but by a Person, and the assurance which he gives us: <em>I am with you!<\/em><\/strong> <em>\u2014<\/em>SAINT JOHN PAUL II, <em><a href=\"http:\/\/www.vatican.va\/holy_father\/john_paul_ii\/apost_letters\/documents\/hf_jp-ii_apl_20010106_novo-millennio-ineunte_en.html\">Novo Millennio Ineunte<\/a>, <\/em>n. 29<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p align=\"LEFT\">May the Catholic Faith never be a sterile list of do&#8217;s and don&#8217;ts, a custom to keep rather than a life to be lived out.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p align=\"LEFT\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><strong>Great theologians have tried to describe the essential ideas that make up Christianity. But in the end, the Christianity that they constructed was not convincing, because Christianity is in the first place an Event, a Person. And thus in the Person we discover the richness of what is contained.<\/strong> \u2014POPE BENEDICT XVI, Ibid. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p align=\"LEFT\">Jesus is knocking upon your heart and mine, bringing with Him the riches of a heavenly banquet.<\/p>\n<p align=\"LEFT\">Have we let Him in yet?<\/p>\n<p align=\"LEFT\">\u00a0<\/p>\n<p align=\"LEFT\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\">RELATED READING<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><em><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/personal-relationship-with-jesus\/\">Personal Relationship with Jesus<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul style=\"text-align: left;\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\">Pope Francis on feeling &#8220;spiritually comfortable&#8221;: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.zenit.org\/en\/articles\/pope-in-morning-homily-warns-against-feeling-spiritually-comfortable?utm_campaign=weeklyhtml&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=dispatch\"><strong>Homily<\/strong><\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\" align=\"LEFT\">\u00a0<\/p>\n<p align=\"LEFT\">\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Tired of music about sex and violence? <br \/>How about uplifting music that speaks to your <em>heart?<\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Mark&#8217;s new album <em><a href=\"http:\/\/store.markmallett.com\/vulnerable-cd\/\">Vulnerable<\/a> <\/em>has been touching many with its lush ballads and moving lyrics. Many listener&#8217;s call it his<br \/>most beautiful productions yet. <br \/><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>Give songs\u00a0about faith, family, and fortitude that will inspire<br \/>for <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Christmas<\/span>!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><em>Click the album cover to listen to or order Mark&#8217;s new CD!<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/store.markmallett.com\/vulnerable-cd\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter  wp-image-16717\" src=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/VULcvrNEWRELEASE8x8__64755.1407304496.1280.1280.png\" alt=\"VULcvrNEWRELEASE8x8__64755.1407304496.1280.1280\" width=\"333\" height=\"323\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/VULcvrNEWRELEASE8x8__64755.1407304496.1280.1280.png 677w, https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/VULcvrNEWRELEASE8x8__64755.1407304496.1280.1280-300x290.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 333px) 100vw, 333px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\">Listen below!<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><iframe src=\"http:\/\/widgets.itunes.apple.com\/widget.html?c=us&amp;brc=FFFFFF&amp;blc=FFFFFF&amp;trc=FFFFFF&amp;tlc=FFFFFF&amp;d=Original%20love%20songs%20and%20ballads%20to%20melt%20your%20heart%20and%20soul.&amp;t=Vulnerable&amp;m=song&amp;e=song&amp;w=250&amp;h=370&amp;ids=651816871,651816872,651816873,651816874,651816875,651816876,651816877,651816878,651816879,651816880,651816881,651816882,651816883&amp;wt=playlist&amp;partnerId=&amp;affiliate_id=\" width=\"250\" height=\"370\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>What people are saying&#8230;<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><strong>I have listened to my newly purchased CD of &#8220;Vulnerable&#8221; over and over again and can&#8217;t get myself to change the CD to listen to any of the other 4 CDs of Mark&#8217;s that I bought at the same time. Every Song of &#8220;Vulnerable&#8221; just breathes Holiness! I doubt any of the other CDs could touch this latest collection from Mark, but if they are even half as good <br \/>they are still a must-have.<\/strong> <br \/>\u2014Wayne Labelle<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><strong>Traveled a long way with Vulnerable in the CD player&#8230; Basically it is the Soundtrack of my family&#8217;s life and keeps the Good Memories alive and helped get us through a few very rough spots&#8230; <br \/>Praise God for Mark&#8217;s Ministry!<\/strong> <br \/>\u2014Mary Therese Egizio<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><strong>Mark Mallett is blessed and anointed by God as a messenger for our times, some of his messages are offered in the form of songs that resonate and resound within my innermost being and in my heart&#8230;.How is Mark Mallet not a world-renowned vocalist???<\/strong> <br \/>\u2014Sherrel Moeller<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><strong>I purchased this CD and found it absolutely fantastic. The blended voices, the orchestration is just beautiful. It lifts you up and sets you down gently in the Hands of God. If you are a new fan of Mark&#8217;s, this is the one of the best he has produced to-date.<\/strong> <br \/>\u2014Ginger Supeck<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><strong>I have all Marks CDs and I love them all but this one touches me in many special ways. His faith is reflected in each song and more than anything that&#8217;s what is needed today.<\/strong> <br \/>\u2014Theresa<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\u00a0<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><em>Want to share this website with others? Make sure\u00a0that Adblock or any other tracking software permits this website to display social networking icons. If you see them below, then you&#8217;re good to go!<\/em><\/p>\n<p>\n<script>\/\/ < ![CDATA[\n\/\/ < ![CDATA[\n\/\/ < ![CDATA[\n\/\/ < ![CDATA[\n\/\/ < ![CDATA[\n\/\/ < ![CDATA[\n\/\/ < ![CDATA[\n\/\/ < ![CDATA[\n\/\/ < ![CDATA[\n\/\/ < ![CDATA[\n\/\/ < ![CDATA[\n\/\/ < ![CDATA[\n\/\/ < ![CDATA[\n\/\/ < ![CDATA[\n!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=\/^http:\/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+':\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs');\n\/\/ ]]><\/script><\/p>\n<div class=\"speaker-mute footnotes_reference_container\"> <div class=\"footnote_container_prepare\"><p><span role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" class=\"footnote_reference_container_label pointer\" onclick=\"footnote_expand_collapse_reference_container_17197_1();\"><h5>Footnotes<\/h5><\/span><span role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" class=\"footnote_reference_container_collapse_button\" style=\"display: none;\" onclick=\"footnote_expand_collapse_reference_container_17197_1();\">[<a id=\"footnote_reference_container_collapse_button_17197_1\">+<\/a>]<\/span><\/p><\/div> <div id=\"footnote_references_container_17197_1\" style=\"\"><table class=\"footnotes_table footnote-reference-container\"><caption class=\"accessibility\"><h5>Footnotes<\/h5><\/caption> <tbody> \r\n\r\n<tr class=\"footnotes_plugin_reference_row\"> <th scope=\"row\" id=\"footnote_plugin_reference_17197_1_1\" class=\"footnote_plugin_index pointer\" onclick=\"footnote_moveToAnchor_17197_1('footnote_plugin_tooltip_17197_1_1');\"><a role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" class=\"footnote_plugin_link\" ><span class=\"footnote_index_arrow\">&#8593;<\/span>1<\/a><\/th> <td class=\"footnote_plugin_text\">cf. John 4:7; 19:28<\/td><\/tr>\r\n\r\n<tr class=\"footnotes_plugin_reference_row\"> <th scope=\"row\" id=\"footnote_plugin_reference_17197_1_2\" class=\"footnote_plugin_index pointer\" onclick=\"footnote_moveToAnchor_17197_1('footnote_plugin_tooltip_17197_1_2');\"><a role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" class=\"footnote_plugin_link\" ><span class=\"footnote_index_arrow\">&#8593;<\/span>2<\/a><\/th> <td class=\"footnote_plugin_text\">cf. John 7:38<\/td><\/tr>\r\n\r\n <\/tbody> <\/table> <\/div><\/div><script type=\"text\/javascript\"> function footnote_expand_reference_container_17197_1() { jQuery('#footnote_references_container_17197_1').show(); jQuery('#footnote_reference_container_collapse_button_17197_1').text('\u2212'); } function footnote_collapse_reference_container_17197_1() { jQuery('#footnote_references_container_17197_1').hide(); jQuery('#footnote_reference_container_collapse_button_17197_1').text('+'); } function footnote_expand_collapse_reference_container_17197_1() { if (jQuery('#footnote_references_container_17197_1').is(':hidden')) { footnote_expand_reference_container_17197_1(); } else { footnote_collapse_reference_container_17197_1(); } } function footnote_moveToReference_17197_1(p_str_TargetID) { footnote_expand_reference_container_17197_1(); var l_obj_Target = jQuery('#' + p_str_TargetID); if (l_obj_Target.length) { jQuery( 'html, body' ).delay( 0 ); jQuery('html, body').animate({ scrollTop: l_obj_Target.offset().top - window.innerHeight * 0.2 }, 380); } } function footnote_moveToAnchor_17197_1(p_str_TargetID) { footnote_expand_reference_container_17197_1(); var l_obj_Target = jQuery('#' + p_str_TargetID); if (l_obj_Target.length) { jQuery( 'html, body' ).delay( 0 ); jQuery('html, body').animate({ scrollTop: l_obj_Target.offset().top - window.innerHeight * 0.2 }, 380); } }<\/script>","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp; HAVE you ever met someone who is passionate about their subject? A skydiver, horse-back rider, a sports fan, or an anthropologist, scientist, or antique restorer who lives and breathes their hobby or career? While they can inspire us, and even spark an interest in us toward their subject, Christianity is different. 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