MSI Press Blog

  At the heart of every faith that calls Abraham its ancestor—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—there beats the same pulse: love . Not sentimentality, not romance, but the fierce, ethical, world‑shaping love that binds creation to its Creator and people to one another. 🌿 Judaism: Love as Covenant In the Hebrew Scriptures, love is not abstract. It is covenantal—an agreement lived out in justice and mercy. “ You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart… ” (Deuteronomy 6:5) is paired with “ You shall love your neighbor as yourself ” (Leviticus 19:18). To love God is to love what God loves: people, life, and the world’s repair ( tikkun olam ). ✝️ Christianity: Love as Incarnation In Christianity, love becomes flesh. “ God is love ” (1 John 4:8) is not metaphor but identity. The Incarnation is divine love entering history, showing that compassion is not optional—it is the measure of faith. Jesus’ commandment—“ Love one another as I have loved you ”—turns theology into relationsh...

  Cross-cultural marriage is not just a union of two people. It’s a fusion of histories, habits, holidays, and sometimes, wildly different spice tolerances. On Valentine’s Day, we celebrate the kind of love that crosses borders — not just geographic, but emotional and cultural. 💬 The Challenges Communication styles : One partner may say “I love you” daily; the other may express it through acts of service or shared silence. Family expectations : Weddings, parenting, even dinner etiquette can become diplomatic negotiations. Language gaps : Sometimes love means smiling through a conversation you only half understand — and laughing when Google Translate gets it hilariously wrong. Tradition clashes : Christmas vs. Lunar New Year. Diwali vs. Thanksgiving. Whose calendar wins? But these challenges aren’t roadblocks. They’re invitations to grow. 🌺 The Rewards Expanded worldview : You don’t just marry a person — you marry a perspective. Richer rituals : Your home becomes a ...

  Today's meditation from  Weekly Soul: Fifty-two Meditations on Meaningful, Joyful, and Peaceful Living   by Dr. Frederic Craigie: -43-   Just don’t give up trying to do what you really want to do. Where there’s love and inspiration, I don’t think you can go wrong.   Ella Fitzgerald   Ella Fitzgerald, the “Queen of Song,” had a legendary career that spanned over half a century. Beginning in the early 1930s, she performed with the likes of Dizzy Gillespie, Benny Goodman, Nat King Cole, and Frank Sinatra and helped to form new styles in American popular music. She was noted both for her vocal and artistic range and for her remarkable improvisational ability. Reacting to the formulaic style of big band swing music, Fitzgerald was at the cutting edge of bebop, the jazz movement that turned away from prominent bass lines and featured extended improvisational solos from instruments like saxophone and clarinet or from the voice in the role of instruments. You can...