Epiphany 2 (year A)- John 1:29-42

In the three-year lectionary cycle, Epiphany 2 this year is a follow-up to Jesus' Baptism by John the Baptist. The Gospel reading from St. John 1:29-42 alludes to Jesus' Baptism by John the Baptist and the beginning of Christ's public ministry. A key phrase in this account is John the Baptist's acknowledgment that Jesus is "the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29, 36). This description of Jesus is echoed in other Scriptures, and it can be found in Christian writings, art, and music down through the centuries. 

Certainly, Jesus is the unique Lamb of God, the foundational sacrifice of the New Covenant. He is the ultimate innocent and perfect victim who offers Himself willingly. By His life, ministry, and death, He takes away human sin. He offers Himself for us. He takes our sins to make us clean and to deliver us from death. He takes away our sin to grant us life and peace with God. And unlike the sacrifices of the Old Covenant, Jesus overcomes sin and death. He is the Lamb who triumphs, rises from the dead, and ascends into heaven. This worthy and victorious Lamb is enthroned in heaven with God the Father and intercedes for His people; He intercedes for us!

Epiphany 1 (year A)- Matthew 3:13-17

On the Sunday after the Epiphany, many Christian calendars commemorate the Baptism of our Lord by John the Baptist (Matthew 3:13-17). As Jesus came to be baptized, He fulfilled all righteousness. He was personally sinless, but our incarnate Lord identified with the human need for spiritual cleansing. He also received a special outpouring of the Holy Spirit as He began His public ministry. Finally, the heavenly voice proclaimed Jesus to be the Son of God. Christ's Baptism manifests the Holy Trinity. This moment is a unique manifestation or epiphany of the divine glory in Christ, and it anticipates His whole public ministry and work for human salvation.

Epiphany- 6 January- Matthew 2:1-12

Epiphany on January 6 is probably the oldest Christian feast besides Easter and Pentecost. In the early Greek-speaking Church, the day was about several of Christ's manifestations- His birth, His Baptism, and the beginning of His public ministry. Later, especially in the Latin churches, the day of Epiphany itself became associated with the coming of the Wise Men. In modern times, although Epiphany remains on some church calendars, it is often ignored. For many Christians, especially in the US, all that remains of the traditional observance may be wise men in a children's December pageant, a reference in a Christmas carol, or a reading from Matthew 2 in a service of lessons.

Nevertheless, Epiphany deserves our attention because of its important theological themes. The Wise Men or Magi represent the coming of the Gentiles or nations to Christ. Their natural human longings and wisdom respond to God's sign in nature and follow the star. Yet, they also need the guidance of the Scripture in order to complete their journey. Finally, when they do find the Holy Child, they do what every person should do. They fall down in adoration or worship, and they offer Him precious gifts.

At Epiphany, may we still seek Christ and be guided by Scripture. May we worship Him and offer Him our best gifts. Now that the worldly celebrations have subsided, Epiphany is an opportunity for quieter and deep devotion and reflection about the coming of our Savior!

Christmas 2 (year A)- Luke 2:40-52

On this Second Sunday after Christmas, the Gospel from Luke 2:40-52 is about the visits of the youthful Jesus to the Jerusalem Temple. In this passage, we can learn several things about Jesus and the Holy Family. Today let us focus on the first and last verses of the selection.  Referring to the time after the infant's first presentation at the Temple, Luke 2:40 (ESV) says, "And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him." (ESV) Then after the twelve-year-old Jesus is reunited with His earthly parents, Luke 2:52 (ESV) says, "And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man."

These two verses state important truth about the Incarnation. Scripture teaches that Jesus Christ is unique. He is the divine Word, the eternal Son of the God the Father, made flesh and dwelling among us. As the Nicene Creed affirms, He is "true God from true God." At the same time, we also believe that "He was made man." Except for sin, He took on real human nature. These two natures in one person are the great mystery indicated in our verses from Luke. Jesus the Christ is holy and different. He is God the Son, but  He also a real man. He has a human body and a human mind. He grows and develops physically, He increases in wisdom and divine favor or grace is upon Him.

This mystery of the Incarnation is at the heart of our Christian faith and hope. God loves us and wants to save us from our fallen human condition. God the eternal Word comes to earth, takes our human nature as Jesus of Bethlehem and Nazareth. He lives among us. He models human perfection and teaches in ways we can understand. This Jesus dies for our sins and rises to give us eternal life! This is the good news at Christmas and throughout the year!

Christmas I (year A)- Matthew 2:13-23

 The gospel for this Sunday after Christmas is from Matthew 2. It recounts events after the departure of the Magi.  Joseph was warned to take the Holy Family to Egypt for safety, and King Herod I tried to eliminate the threat of the Messiah to his dynasty by killing male children in Bethlehem under two years of age. Later, after Herod's death, the family returned to Palestine. Joseph decided that Nazareth would be safer for the young Jesus than Bethlehem.

These events remind us that sin, death, and evil were very much at work in the world around the time of Christ's Birth. The Christ Child was feared and hated, and His innocent contemporaries were killed. The world is still much the same. The holy child is still not universally welcomed, and evil people still destroy the innocent to preserve their power, wealth, or comfort.

Despite such evil, God's work in the world continues. Just as evil did not destroy Christ, so in our time the redemptive work of Jesus Christ is not defeated. Evil still causes much suffering, even among the most innocent, but divine truth, love, and grace continue and will continue to the end of the age and beyond! The Gospel, whether around Christmas or around Easter, assures us that God's goodness triumphs over evil!

Christmas (year A)

 In certain respects, Christmas is the beginning of the Gospel story, which reaches its climax on Good Friday and Easter Sunday. There are many passages of Scripture associated with the birth of Jesus. There are Old Testament prophecies and epistle readings. And of course, there are the Gospel accounts from Matthew, Luke, and John. Each of these Gospels has its own beauty and meaning. We might say that Matthew 1-2 focuses on Joseph's perspective, that Luke 1-2 reflects the point of view of the Virgin Mary, and that John 1 emphasizes the timeless theological meaning. 

All these Scriptures complement one another, and the Gospels, in particular, provide believers with the truth we need for meditating on the significance of Christ's Birth. Many of us recall lovely childhood Nativity pageants, but adults need to move beyond that level. The Scriptures point us to deeper nourishment for the heart, mind, and soul. Scripture teaches us the truth that Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, "came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and was made man" for us and for our salvation (Nicene Creed). 

In other words, Scripture teaches us that Christmas is about more than a family festival or the birthday of a great man; it is about our eternal salvation. Faith in Christ our Savior is where we need to focus our attention. Of course, we should have faith in Him every day, but we need a special time of emphasis on His Incarnation. We need more than a few moments on Christmas Eve, and church tradition suggests at least for twelve days. Meditating on the meaning of Jesus' Birth at this time can help us better appreciate the entire Gospel message as we move through the church year. 

Prayers and wishes for a blessed and meaningful Christmas!

Advent 4 (year A)- Isaiah 7:10-17; Matthew 1:18-25

 For this Fourth Sunday of Advent, the Scripture readings emphasize the expectation of the Messiah's birth. The Old Testament selection from Isaiah 7:10-17 is a famous prophecy that contains both a warning and a promise of redemption. The hopeful promise is the sign of the child born of a virgin. This child will be called Immanuel, "God with us." Of course, Christians believe that this prophetic hope is fulfilled in Jesus, who is the Christ.

Matthew 1:18-25 is an account of Jesus' birth from Joseph's perspective. After an initial shock and hesitation, through divine guidance, Joseph comes to accept the virgin birth. He trusts in the holiness of his betrothed and the son she will bear. He is instructed to call Him Jesus, a name which comes from Hebrew meaning "the Lord will save." This brief account reminds us of two realities. It affirms the importance of Joseph's role in the plan for redemption, and it also points beyond Joseph to the greater importance of Jesus, the Redeemer. Let us honor Joseph's holiness and faith as well as Mary's. Even more importantly, let us appreciate the holiness of Christ our Redeemer, the true reason for the coming Christmas celebration!

Advent 3 (year A)- Matthew 11:2-15

 The readings for the Third Sunday of Advent continue to emphasize the prophetic message and the hope for deliverance. The New Testament reading is from the letter of James. The theme of James 5:7-11 is contained in the opening verse- "Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord" (ESV). Christians live between the times, between Christ's great work of redemption and His return in final triumph. As we consider this situation, we are called to live in patience and hope.

The Gospel from Matthew 11:2-15 shows John the Baptist in prison (where he will soon be unjustly executed). He sends two of his followers to Jesus, and they ask if Jesus is the anticipated Messiah or Christ. Whatever John's motives for sending his disciples to see Jesus, Jesus replies with a two-fold proclamation. First, He points to the redemptive acts taking place in His own ministry. The prophecies are being fulfilled. Secondly, Jesus affirms the purpose and value of the work of John the Baptist. He has prepared the way. Then, our Lord concludes with an exhortation to His hearers to hear; that is, they should be sensitive and perceptive to the great spiritual events of their day.

Advent is a season for us to be more aware of God's warnings and promises. It is a time to reflect on the need for redemption. May we have ears to hear! In other words, may we be sensitive and perceptive to God's redemptive work in the coming of Jesus the Messiah!

Advent 2 (year A)- Isaiah 11:1-10; Matthew 3: 1-12

 The readings for the Second Sunday of Advent focus on prophecy in differing ways. There are two great characteristics of prophecy: foretelling or predicting and forth-telling or proclaiming. Both aspects are important. Biblical prophecy predicts certain future events in the divine plan; it also proclaims the message of divine redemption. During Advent, we see both aspects of prophecy in our readings.

The Old Testament lesson is the famous passage from Isaiah 11:1-10. It looks forward to a time when an ideal king will arise from the house of Jesse, the father of King David. This anointed ruler or Messiah will fulfill God's promises to Israel. He will bring true redemption. Of course, Christians see the fulfillment of this prophecy in the person of Jesus of Nazareth.

The Gospel selection is from Matthew 3:1-12. It concerns the work of John the Baptist. He fulfills certain prophecies from the past; he is also the last of the Hebrew prophets pointing to the Messiah. He preaches repentance and redemption, and he points to his cousin Jesus. May the divinely inspired message of the Biblical prophets move us to faith in Jesus and lives consistent with their message!

Pentecost 23 (year C proper 28)- Luke 21:5-28

Once again, a church year is drawing to a close, and the Scripture readings point us to the theme of earthly endings. The Gospel from Luke 21 contains several teachings of our Lord about the end of worldly things and the consummation of the divine kingdom. Many Christians are not very fond of these topics. Nevertheless, thoughts about these matters are aspects of human experience, and reflections about the last things (technically called "eschatology") are important teachings of Scripture. From our Lord's teachings in Luke 21, let us highlight three points.

Point 1. In Luke 21:8, Jesus warns us to beware of false messiahs or false leaders. Many false preachers, philosophers, politicians, educators, scientists, etc., claim the ability to solve all human problems. Sometimes, such people may be impressive, but they cannot bring true redemption; therefore, we should be cautious about all human leaders and institutions.

Point 2. In Luke 21:9-17, our Lord tells us to expect disorders, natural disasters, diseases, and times of persecution for as long as earthly life endures. Worldly chaos and danger are disturbing. They may test us, and they certainly remind us of the transitory nature of earthly life, but they do not mean that the end is coming immediately.

Point 3. In Luke 21:27-28, Christ concludes our selection. He reminds us that final redemption only comes through the divine Son of Man, that is, through our Lord Jesus Christ Himself. At the end of earthly history, the Savior will return “in a cloud with power and great glory.” So believers must always remain hopeful. During the worst of times in our individual lives and in world history, Christ is near His people. He encourages His followers to be confident because His redemption will come. In the end, God’s will shall be done, and His kingdom shall come!

These teachings from our Gospel have been Christian affirmations from the first century to our time. As Christians, Jesus Christ has given us a meaningful perspective on the problems of the world and the trials of our individual lives. We believe that God created this world and has a plan to redeem faithful souls. We acknowledge that evil has entered God’s good creation and that human beings have become corrupt. However, we also believe that the goodness, love, and grace of God will have the final say. The goodness of God in Jesus Christ has already won great victories over evil, and in the end, He will totally defeat evil!

Pentecost 22 (year C proper 27)- 2 Thessalonians 2; Luke 20:27-40

 This Sunday is the Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost, and we are moving toward the end of the church year. The readings for the latter part of the church year, as well as those at the beginning of Advent, highlight Christian teachings about the last or end things (in theological terminology called eschatology from the NT Greek eschatos, "last"). The Old Testament prophets and the New Testament Epistles and Gospels are filled with teachings about the last things, both about the end of worldly history and the end of individual earthly life.

We see two aspects of teachings about the last things in our readings from 2 Thessalonians 2:1-8, 13-17 and Luke 20:27-40. In 2 Thessalonians 2, the Apostle Paul does two things. The Apostle warns believers about enduring worldly problems, which will lead to the man of sin (usually identified as the great Antichrist) and his defeat by Christ. Paul also encourages believers to hold on to their good traditions about the love, mercy, and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Luke 20:27-40 recounts an encounter between Jesus and some Sadducees over the topic of the resurrection of the dead. The Sadducees were a party drawn from the Jewish priestly establishment, and they were very this worldly in outlook. In particular, they did not expect any meaningful afterlife, and they ridiculed the idea of bodily resurrection. These Sadducees come to test Jesus by using an extreme and even ridiculous case about seven unfortunate brothers and one unfortunate woman. They don't expect any resurrection, but they want Jesus to answer the question, "To whom will the woman be married in the world to come?" 

Of course, Jesus sees their cynicism and refuses to play their legalistic game. He points out that life in the resurrected state will be different from life in this world. Marriage is a sacred and valuable institution for earthly life, but heavenly and spiritual life will transcend its categories. The basic identities of human beings will continue in the world to come, but the temporary conditions of earthly life will pass away. Resurrection life will leave behind worldly problems. It will be angelic, spiritual, and glorious.

Pentecost 19 (year C proper 24)- 2 Timothy 3; Luke 18

 Our NT or epistle reading for this Sunday is about solid foundations and persistence. In 2 Timothy 3 & 4, the Apostle Paul speaks about holding fast to solid foundations in faith. Paul urges his younger colleague, Timothy, to remain persistent in his Christian faith and ministry. In 2 Timothy 3:15, Paul tells his young colleague that the Scriptures can make him “wise unto salvation through faith” in Christ Jesus (KJV). Creating and sustaining faith in Christ is a central purpose of the Bible. Timothy has had a solid foundation in biblical teaching since childhood, but he must not take this foundation for granted; he must continue to pursue faithfulness to Christ and a deep devotion to Scripture.

The key verse is 2 Timothy 3:16: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness.” (KJV) In other words, the whole Bible is divinely inspired. Human copyists, translators, and interpreters can make mistakes, and readers may not understand or apply every word perfectly. Nevertheless, divine revelation is generally clear, and it is our infallible guide.

The Gospel for this Sunday from Luke 18:1-8 contains a striking teaching. Jesus tells the parable of the Unjust Judge, which teaches the value of persisting in prayer. The corrupt judge doesn’t care about his legal responsibility, but he eventually grants justice to a poor but persistent widow. The point of the parable is this: If even a corrupt human judge might be persuaded to hear the case of a powerless person, then we should certainly expect our just, gracious, and merciful heavenly Father to respond to our constant prayers for His blessings.

Thus, the Epistle and the Gospel for this Sunday highlight the value of persisting or persevering in basic Christian devotion. We must remain rooted in the teachings of Holy Scripture, and we continue to be constant in prayer. These two foundations guide and assist us in many areas of spirituality, morality, true piety, and service.