After seven years in the penitentiary for a rape conviction, Jack is released on the basis of a DNA test. In jail, Jojo, a seasoned con, had taken the rap for a fracas in which Jack, who had some half forgotten training in martial arts, had seriously hurt an ex-wrestler that was taunting him. In exchange, Jack has committed himself to taking care of Jojo's half sister, Judy, and Jojo's two boys after his release. Judy had to quit college to take care of the two children and is financially strapped. Jack feels that he is being stalked by a man, somebody sinister, who reminds him of his experiences in the penitentiary. In his mind he calls him Iceman. He is also haunted by the accusation of rape, and would like to find the true culprit. The suspense story is about the interaction of Jack, Judy, and the two boys while other events unfold.

Two thousand years ago, a simple man walked this planet with a simple message. They called him Jesus. His was a message of radical exclusion in a world he called the Kingdom of God. He spoke in parables grounded in common, everyday experiences, parables about yeast and leavened bread, weeds and mustard seeds, fishing nets and pearls. In the Kingdom of God, everyone was equal and differences made no difference. But the world couldnt handle such an outrageous message. Whoever heard of a world where differences make no difference? Of course, they make a difference. So they dangled him from a cross for all the world to take note. After his death, they honored him with a title, the Christ, and began a whole new religion in his name. But for two thousand years far too many have been dishonoring him by misrepresenting his message. His message of radical inclusion has been twisted and contorted into a message that far too many of his followers use to sanction that which he came to overcome. Instead of eliminating distinctions between insiders and outsiders, pure and impure, clean and unclean, his message has been used to perpetuate sexism, racism, age-ism, homophobism, imperialism, and all the other -isms that stand in the way of radical inclusion. All this has happened so gradually, literally over centuries if not millennia through crusty old doctrines, dogma, and creeds that very few have even noticed. Christianity has become fat and happy, just like the frog in the Parable of the Boiling Frog. You stick a frog in a vat of boiling water, and it will struggle with all its might to escape an otherwise certain death. But if you stick a frog in a vat of lukewarm water and ever so gradually keep warming it one degree at a time, the frog will grow comfortable in the increasing warmth of its environment until, before he realizes it, he has been boiled. Two thousand years later, it is time to set the record straight; time to return to Jesus simple message through the common, ordinary experiences of today. In the biblical witness, Moses wandered in the wilderness for forty years; Jesus, for forty days. So, too, shall we wander by channel surfing through forty chapters of scripture. From Adam and Eve to Ricky Nelsons Garden Party at Madison Square Garden; from the Book of Jobs Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar to The Three Stooges; from Matthews and Lukes nativity scenes to Larry, Darryl, and Darryl of The Bob Newhart Show; from the temptation stories and Jesus wandering in the wilderness to American Bandstand, the Temptations, and Dion & the Belmonts The Wanderer; from Pilate and Herod cross-examining Jesus to Judge Wapner and Judge Judy; from atonement theology to Lets Make a Deal, it is time to paint our antiquated parables with a more contemporary brush; in so doing, it is time to turn Jesus simple message into a profound reality. Onward, radical inclusion! On to the Kingdom of God. In the immortal words of Bart Simpson, Surfs up, dude.

In The Second Jewish Revolt: The Bar Kokhba War, 132-136 C.E., Menahem Mor offers a detailed account on the Bar Kokhba Revolt in an attempt to understand the second revolt against the Romans. Since the Bar Kokhba Revolt did not have a historian who devoted a comprehensive book to the event, Mor used a variety of historical materials including literary sources (Jewish, Christian, Greek and Latin) and archaeological sources (inscriptions, coins, military diplomas, hideouts, and refuge complexes). The book reviews the causes for the outbreak while explaining the complexity of the territorial expansion of the Revolt. Mor portrays the participants and opponents as well as the attitudes of the non-Jewish population in Palestine. He exposes the Roman Army’s part in Judaea, the Jewish leadership and the implications of the Revolt.

Joseph Cardinal Bernardin is widely regarded as having had more impact on the Catholic Church in the United States than any other bishop this century. By the time of his death in 1996 he had attracted the respect and affection of millions around the world. Selected Works of Joseph Cardinal Bernardin provides in two volumes the "essential" Bernardin for those interested in the faith, ecclesial vision, and pastoral insights of this great church leader. The first volume, Homilies and Teaching Documents, captures the care and sensitivity with which Cardinal Bernardin carried out his teaching ministry as Archbishop of Chicago. It consists of his pastoral letters, reflections, and statements on liturgy, ministry, the Church, health care, religious education, Christology, consecrated life, AIDS, the Catholic Charismatic Movement, the permanent diaconate, and youth. The volume also includes Bernardin's interventions at four Synods of Bishops. Clergy, lay ministers and leaders will find the selected homilies, on a wide range of subjects, to be of particular value to their life and ministry. Volume 1 is divided into two parts. Part One: Teaching Documents includes the following articles under the heading Pastoral Letters: "Our Communion, Our Peace, Our Promise (1984)," "In Service of One Another (1985)," "The Family Gathered Here Before You (1989)," and "A Sign of Hope (1995)." Articles included under the heading Pastoral Reflections include "Christ Lives in Me (1985)," "Reflections on Religious Life (1986)," and "The Challenges We Face Together (1986)." Articles included under the heading Pastoral Statements include "A Challenge and a Responsibility (1986)," "Come, Holy Spirit (1988)," "The Call to Service (1993)," "Here and Now (1994)," and "Building Bridges Between Communities of Faith (1996)." Articles included under the heading Synodal Interventions include "The Sacrament of Penance in a Sacramental Church (1983)," "The Virtue of Penance: The Ideal and the Contemporary Reality (1983)," "The Church, the World, and the Kingdom (1987)," "Spirituality of Diocesan Priests and Celibacy (1990)," and "Authenticity and Diversity in Consecrated Life (1994)." Part Two: Homilies includes the following articles under the heading First Days in Chicago: "I Am Joseph Your Brother (1982)," "It Is a Spiritual Event (1982)," and "Christ Calls Us Who Are Many to Be but One (1982)." Articles included under the heading Advent-Christmas Season include "Christmas Midnight Mass (1986)," "600th Jubilee of Christianity in Lithuania (1987)," "Simbang Gabi, (Filipino Celebration, 1987)," "Christmas Midnight Mass (1988)," "Christmas Mass (1988)," "Cathedral of St. Patrick (1990)," "50th Anniversary of the Cana Conference (1994)," "Mass of Healing (1994)," "Christmas Midnight Mass (1994)," and "Christmas Midnight Mass (1995)." Articles included under the heading Lent-Easter Season include "Passion (Palm) Sunday (1983)," "Sage Chapel (1985)," "Chrism Mass (1987)," "Pro-Life Pilgrimage (1988)," "Easter Sunday (1989)," "Old St. Patrick's Church (1989)," "Mass for the Newly Initiated (1989)," "Pentecost Sunday (1989)," "Easter Sunday (1990), ' "Holy Name Cathedral (1991)," "Passion (Palm) Sunday (1991)," "Holy Name Cathedral (1991)," "Ash Wednesday (1993)," "Mass for the Newly Initiated (1993)," "Fifth Anniversary of AGLO (Archdiocesan Gay and Lesbian Outreach, 1993)," "Ash Wednesday (1994)," "Easter Sunday (1994)," "Annual Archdiocesan Charismatic Conference (1995)," and "Chrism Mass (1996)." Articles included under the heading Ordinary Time include "150th Anniversary of Old St. Mary's Church (1983)," "SS Faith, Hope and Charity Church (1983)," "Mass of the Holy Spirit (1984)," "Scouting Mass (1984)," "25th Anniversary of the Church of St. Alexander (1984)," "Catechists' Annual Resource Day (1984)," "Religion Enrichment Day (1985)," "Memorial Day (1985)," "St. Benedict's Home for the Aged (1985)," "Pro-Life Mass (1986)," "St. Patrick's Day (1986)," "Prayer Service in Honor of Mary (1986)," "Ordination to the Permanent Diaconate (1986)," "Religious Jubilarians' Celebration (1986)," "St. Mary of Providence School (1987)," "WEORC Retreat (1987)," "National Conference of Catholic Bishops Annual Meeting (1987)," "The Catholic Church Extension Society (1987)," "'Theology on Tap' Mass (1988)," "St. Gerard Majella Parish (1988)," "Mass with the Ephphetha Ecumenical Choir (1990)," "Colloquy of Bishops and Scholars (1990)," "Holy Name Cathedral (1990)," "Priesthood Ordination (1990)," "Festa Italiana (1991)," "Association of Catholic Diocesan Archivists (1992)," "Calvert House (1992)," "Diaconate Ordination (1993)," "Priesthood Ordination (1994)," "Church of St. Felicitas (1994)," "Celebration of 103 Korean Martyrs (1994)," "Casa Santa Maria dell'Umilta (1994)," and "Holy Name Cathedral (1995)." Articles included under the heading Special Occasions (Personal) include "Mass on the Occasion of Being Named to the Sacred College of Cardinals (1983)," "Ceremony of Taking Possession of the Titular Church, Jesus the Divine Worker (1983)," "Mass Commemorating the 20th Anniversary of Episcopal Ordination (1986)," and "Mass Commemorating the 25th Anniversary of Episcopal Ordination (1991)." Articles included under the heading Special Occasions (Archdiocese of Chicago) include "Liturgy for Sending Missionaries to the Diocese of Chilapa, Mexico (1989)," "Columbus Day Mass, V Centenary (1992)," "Mass for the Opening of the Archdiocesan Sesquicentennial Year (1993)," "Liturgy by the Lake, Sesquicentennial of the Archdiocese of Chicago (1994)," and "Mass for the Closing of the Archdiocesan Sesquicentennial Year (1994)." Articles included under the heading Special Occasions (Other) include "50th Anniversary of the Cathedral of Christ the King (1987)," "Funeral Mass for John Cardinal Dearden (1988)," "Millennium of Christianity in the Ukraine (1988)," "75th Anniversary of the Theological College (1992)," "25th Anniversary Mass (1993)," and "'Promoting the Common Good Through the Practice of Virtues' (1993)." Articles included under the heading The Challenges of the Last Years include "Priests of the Archdiocese of Chicago (1993)," "Prayer Service with the Presbyterate (1995)," "'Theology on Tap' Mass (1996)," "Communal Anointing of the Sick (8/24/1996)," "Communal Anointing of the Sick (8/31/1996)," "St. Joseph College Seminary (1996)," "Mundelein Seminary (1996)," "Prayer Service with Priests (1996)," and "Queen of Angels Church (1996)."

Combining the lateral thinking of a postmodern wise-cracker with the creedal certainties of a conservative evangelical scholar, this book about 40 encounters with Jesus informs the contemporary obsession with how Jesus would behave ('What would Jesus do') while drawing readers back to the cross as the central message of our faith.

Committee Serial No. 88-1. Considers legislation to revise arbitration procedures to settle labor disputes and prevent serious work stoppages in the merchant marine.

This is a book that addresses counterproductive behaviors in sales and the means by which to identify them and overcome them. It details a five step process that will increase the probability of realizing a sale based on the customer's real needs.

What will it be like for those left behind after the Rapture of the Church? What horrors await the planet when the prophesied Seven Year Tribulation begins in all its gory detail? Do Christians need to be concerned about the Seven Year Tribulation? Is it too late for people to turn to the Messiah? Will there be any way out of this horrible time frame when God pours out His unmitigated wrath? How will the antichrist deceive so many people and take over the world? Are there any signs that this period described by Jesus as the worst time in the history of mankind is actually fast approaching? All these questions and much much more will be answered in this book, The Seals: A Panoramic View of the First Half of the Seven Year Tribulation. Buckle your seat belts, hold on to your hats, and get ready for the journey of your life! No other book takes you on such an in-depth, amazing, thrill ride through the first half of the Seven Year Tribulation.