Advent 1 (year B)- Mark 13:24-37

This Sunday begins a new Church year. The traditional collect or prayer of the day for Advent 1, slightly modernized, from the 1917 Common Service Book says:

Stir up, we beseech You, Your power, Lord, and come; that by Your protection we may be rescued from the threatening perils of our sins, and saved by Your mighty deliverance; Who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, ever One God, world without end. AMEN.

The Scriptures for the First Sunday of Advent point us to our need for redemption and how we are to await the coming of Christ. The first or Old Testament reading for this Sunday is from Isaiah 64:1-9. It emphasizes human frailty and our dependence upon God. We are like clay that He molds according to His purposes.

Psalm 80:1-7 asks God to turn us, His flock, so that His face may shine upon us and save us.

The Second or Epistle reading is from 1 Corinthians 1:3-9. The passage begins with the grace of God revealed in Christ and points toward waiting for His coming. Our hope is not in ourselves but in God who is faithful. It is Jesus Christ Himself who sustains us even as we await His final triumph. Only through Him can we be ready for the day of our Lord.

The Gospel from Mark 13:24- 37 looks to the coming of the Messiah/Christ to complete His work at the end of history. As even fig trees adjust to the changing seasons, followers of Christ should learn to adjust as earthly history moves along in subjection to divine plans. On the one hand, Christ's disciples must not be too hasty in their interpretations because human knowledge is limited. Only God knows all the details. On the other hand, Christians should always respond faithfully and be spiritually prepared. God has revealed what we need to know in Christ, We are called to stay awake, and the Advent season is one expression of that calling to be prepared and awake. As the old Phillip Nicolai hymn reminds us, "Wake, awake, for night is flying!"

Pentecost 20 (year A proper 24)- Matthew 22:15-22

The Gospel from St. Matthew 22:15-22 is a famous passage concerning paying taxes. Here the Pharisees and supporters of the Herodian family's political arrangement with the Romans try to trap Jesus. They ask if it is lawful (that is, according to the Jewish Torah) to pay the tribute demanded by the Romans. Jesus knows their true designs. He knows that these hypocrites simply want to cause problems. Almost any answer to their question will upset someone. If Jesus says not to pay tax, then the Romans (and the Herodians themselves) can say that He is a dangerous subversive. If He says to pay the tax, then both Jewish revolutionaries and pious conservatives can attack Him. Outwitting His opponents, He requests to see a coin and asks about the image- Caesar's. Since it has Caesar's image, it must be his, and any person willing to use the coin must acknowledge Caesar's claims upon money. So Christ's answer is suited to the immediate context and marvelously avoids the trap.

Yet, Christ's answer is more than just clever debate. He enunciates an important general principle: Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's and unto God the things that are God's (St. Matthew 22:21b). Government, even that of an oppressive conqueror, serves certain purposes such as preventing anarchy and insuring a rough justice and stable economic exchange. Believers like other people benefit from whatever degree of stability a government provides, and so believers are not anarchists. As seen throughout Scripture, especially as developed in the New Testament epistles, Christians pray for rulers and acknowledge that worldly power has certain legitimate purposes. 

However, the claims of Caesar are limited. Money may bear Caesar's image, but every human being bears the divine image. Therefore, the highest human loyalty is to God, not to any political and economic leader or system. It turns out that true faith is both collaborative and subversive at the same time. To the extent that a government restrains human evil and promotes the common good under God's Law, it deserves Christian support.

Despite such value in human rule, the Christian must always put God's requirements first. When any government (even a democratically elected one) claims too much for itself, it must either be ignored or opposed in some way. Caesar, for example, could claim taxes, but he had no right to claim to be worshipped as a god. In modern democracies, a government can justly ask many things of us, but it has no rights when it asks Christians to agree to practices that are against Scripture (such as abortion, euthanasia, or so-called same-sex marriage).

Pentecost 15 (year A proper 19)- Matthew 18:21-35

In today’s Gospel from St. Matthew 18: 21-35, we have one of Christ’s sayings about forgiveness and an illustrative parable. Simon Peter asks the Master how many times he should forgive a brother, maybe seven times. Peter may have hoped to receive praise, but our Lord does not praise Simon Peter for this. Jesus does not tell him that he has a great understanding of mercy and forgiveness. Instead, Christ contradicts Peter in these words, “I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven” (Matt. 18:22). The numbers vary in some manuscripts, but the point is that we must be willing to forgive more times than we can count.

To drive this point home, Jesus tells the parable of the Unmerciful Servant. The parable shows that we followers of Christ should not begin by thinking about how much other people owe us. Rather, we must view everything in life in the context of what we owe the heavenly King and how He shows mercy.

Divine mercy is immense, and all human beings are sinners who must depend upon His mercy and forgiveness. We owe God everything that we are and that we might be.  So we have no real claims on God; even at our best, we cannot repay His gifts. Yet, there is good news. God remains merciful, and He is ready to wipe away our moral and spiritual debts if we sincerely seek His forgiving grace and apply it to our lives.

However, the parable is also a warning. If we try to take advantage of God's mercy like the unmerciful servant in the parable, we offend both mercy and justice. If we sinners who have received such great mercy do not sincerely apply mercy to our fellow servants, we have not really understood or accepted divine mercy.  So we need to remain aware of both God’s justice and His mercy (Law and Gospel).

Besides telling us about God, this Gospel has implications for us and our ordinary behavior. We must be on guard against two related spiritual dangers: trying to keep count of the offenses of others and refusing to be merciful to people who owe us something. This does not mean that we are to have low standards or ignore sin. Sometimes, we have a calling to tell people that something isn’t right. At the same time, as followers of Christ, we must keep being loving and try to give people the benefit of the doubt. This means that when a fellow servant of God asks for mercy we must try to deal with them as our heavenly King is already dealing with us. As our Lord’s Prayer constantly reminds us, we need God to forgive as we forgive others.

Ninth Sunday after Pentecost (year A)- Feeding the Crowds- Matthew 14:13-21

The Gospel for this Sunday is Matthew 14:13-21, a familiar account of Jesus feeding the 5000. The miracles of Jesus feeding the hungry multitudes are repeated several times in the Gospels, and they have several levels of meaning and application. Like all miracles, multiplying the bread and the fish is an assertion of Christ's divine Lordship over nature. It is also a manifestation of His compassion for human beings in need, especially those in need because they have come to hear Him.. He cares for the immediate physical needs of the people around Him, and He is trying to teach His disciples to respond to such circumstances in mercy and in faith.

In addition, the feeding of the hungry also points toward higher needs. Human beings also have a spiritual hunger. They may not always acknowledge this hunger, but that is why they are drawn to Jesus. And just as He can satisfy their momentary physical hunger, He can also satisfy their eternal spiritual hunger through His living Presence in Word and Sacrament.

Fourth Sunday after Pentecost (year A)- Matthew 10:34-39

The Gospel from Matthew 10:34-39 is one that many Christians might wish to ignore. In it our Lord warns of the lack of worldly peace, the reality of interpersonal conflict, and the necessity of taking up the cross. Of course, there are also many passages about peace, and we like to emphasize those. Yet, we should notice the special nature of biblical ideas of peace.

In the New Testament, true peace is mainly about restoring sinful human beings to a right relationship with God through the saving work of Jesus Christ. As a result of such peace, we may at times also experience some peace with other human beings, especially those who share living faith in Christ. However, apart from grace and faith, peace does not characterize most human relationships in this world. Although Christians seek to live peaceably, Christ warns us that peace is often hard to find in worldly contexts. Since all human beings are tainted by sin, even close relationships such as those among family, friends, or even fellow believers, may not be entirely or truly peaceful.

As Christians, we should repent and confess our own contribution to the lack of peace. Let us seek to contribute to the spread of true peace based on faith in Christ. At the same time, let us accept a certain lack of peace with a fallen world as the calling of Jesus' disciples. Through His grace, let us take up our crosses and follow Him in faith for following Him is the way to true peace.

Trinity Sunday (year A)- Matthew 28: 16-20

The Gospel for Trinity Sunday this year is Matthew 28: 16-20. This passage is short and familiar. It contains the risen Christ's basic commission to His apostles and through them to all Christians. They are to make disciples, baptize them in the name of the Holy Trinity, and teach them to observe Christ's teaching. All this sounds simple, but it is really quite complicated to put into practice. It is really what church history, the existence of every congregation, and the life of every Christian is about. And at the heart of it all is Baptism in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Baptism in the name of the Trinity marks us as belonging to God, as members of Christ's Church. In addition, Baptism is a true means of grace to begin and continue a Christian life. Whatever our challenges or accomplishments in this life, the most important thing about us is that almighty God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, has claimed us as His own. He has offered us redeeming grace, and He keeps offering us renewing and sanctifying grace amidst the ups and downs of earthly life. Although theological speculations and definitions have their place, the essential importance of the doctrine of the Trinity is practical, devotional, and spiritual. It is about one God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, working on our souls to save us from sin and death and offer us eternal life.

Pentecost 2020

At Pentecost, we remember the descent of the Holy Spirit in a powerful new way upon Christ’s apostles and other followers on the fiftieth day after Easter. Besides the account in the Acts of the Apostles, the Gospels, especially the Gospel according to St. John, also promise the blessing of the Spirit. A key verse from John 14 says,  “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” (Jn.14:26 ESV).

Here Jesus teaches us about the basic work of the Holy Spirit among Christians. The Spirit has done, is doing, and will do many things, but the central work of the Spirit is related to the message of Jesus Christ. The central work of the Spirit of Truth is to inspire believers. The Spirit of Truth is to remind, motivate, and help the disciples apply the Truth they have already heard from Jesus. Although the Holy Spirit certainly brings new life and new insight, He never brings some sort of new Gospel. The Spirit does not and will not change the core message. The Divine Spirit’s chief work is to help us apply the eternal Word in new contexts. The Spirit gives new life to the Gospel and to the Church, but the Spirit always works with and through the historic message revealed in the Scriptures (especially in the incarnate Word Jesus Christ), summarized in the Creeds, and applied through the Sacraments.

Ascension

Thursday May 21 is the fortieth day after Easter, the commemoration of Christ's Ascension. The Ascension is a teaching of Scripture and of the ancient creeds. It marks Jesus' return to His heavenly Father and the completion of His earthly ministry. Yet, somewhat like Epiphany, the Ascension is an often neglected major Christian observance.

Why is Christ's Ascension neglected? One obvious reason is that Ascension Day is a week day, and many modern Christians cannot or will not observe weekday feasts, other than Christmas perhaps. However, since even Ascension Sunday tends to be low-key, I would suggest that there is a less obvious reason as well. That reason is that modernist progressive church leaders and scholars have been uncomfortable with the reality of the Ascension. For the Ascension stresses both the physical aspects of our Lord's Resurrection and the miraculous nature of His descent from and return to the Father's heavenly realm (Acts 1:1-11).

So one thing that orthodox Christians can do is to stress the reality and factual importance of Christ's Ascension. It is a major event in the series that includes the Annunciation, Incarnation, Passion and Resurrection. The Ascension is also an event which points toward Pentecost. As Christ tells His followers more than once in the "Farewell Discourses" in the Gospel according to St. John, His return to the Father will lead to a new and powerful working of God the Holy Spirit among them. Christ's return to heaven means that the mission of His disciples can become less local and more universal.

Christ's Ascension also means that His followers everywhere have a heavenly mediator and intercessor at the right hand of the Father. From heaven, our Lord Jesus Christ watches over us in all places and at all times. He intercedes for our physical, mental and spiritual well-being and our eternal salvation. His Ascension reminds us of all that He has done and is doing to pour His grace into our lives. Alleluia. Christ our Lord has ascended into heaven;  O come, let us adore him. Alleluia!

Easter 5 (A)- Farewell Discourses

The Gospel selection for this Sunday is from John 14:1-14. This passage begins the portion of John's Gospel often called the "Farewell Discourses" (John 14:1-17:26). It is part of Christ's effort on Maundy Thursday evening to summarize key teachings and prepare His followers for coming events: His death, resurrection, ascension and the new outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

For good and bad reasons, the first part of today's Gospel may be familiar to many people as a "funeral passage" because John 14:1-6 has been read at many burial services. The good aspect is that these hope-filled words of our Lord are appropriate for Christian views of death. The negative aspect is that we should not limit our understanding or appreciation of the words to the funeral context. John 14 applies to the whole Christian understanding of life and death, and it is very fitting to see our selection in the Easter context of Christ's resurrection.

In John 14, Jesus uses the ordinary imagery of a hospitable home to describe the kingdom of heaven. There will be an appropriate place prepared for all the faithful. The disciples are troubled and anxious about many matters. They have not and do not understand all He says, but they sense that their relationship with Jesus is changing. The little group that has developed around Him over three years will no longer be the same. The dramatic events of Christ's death, resurrection and ascension will separate them from His physical worldly presence.

So in spite of His own sufferings and the disciples' failings, Christ offers His followers strengthening words. He points to God the Father's care for them and to His continuing unity with the heavenly Father. Regardless of changing earthly circumstances, they must trust in the Father and in Christ. The Lord will return to take them to be with Him. For He is unique. He is the way, and the truth, and the life (John 14:6). Having confidence in Jesus, the one who reveals God and is the unique way to God, is the means of moving beyond all the uncertainties, trials and dangers of earthly life into true life. In light of Christ's resurrection, our faith and hope should grow ever stronger!.

Easter Day- the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ- Matthew 28:8

There is so much that can be said about the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Along with the crucifixion, it is the key event in human history.  It is the foundation of all Christian doctrine. It is the core of the Gospel message. It is the heart of Christian worship. All those things and more deserve our attention.
Many Scriptures point us to newness and life on this day.  In the Gospel from Matthew 28, we see a specific account of the discovery of Jesus' empty tomb. There are two main reactions to this event. The first is fear. There is the fear of uncertainty about what the empty tomb means and fear about the dazzling the angel. Jesus' followers feared many things- Roman soldiers, the priestly establishment, life in a world where Jesus dies, their own weaknesses, and so on. Such tangible fears are real, but there is another element in the disciples' fear. They is fear of the divine power manifested in the act of resurrection. 
Many modern people don't even want to acknowledge the word "fear" for this human reaction.  But if we take God's awesome power seriously, we will experience some healthy fear in facing His mighty acts. Such fear is natural, but we do need to move beyond it.
Now let us turn to the second basic reaction to the resurrection. Matthew 28:8 (KJV) says, "And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy." The good news of Jesus' resurrection from the dead starts to transform natural fear into great spiritual joy. The fear of divine power is changed into a deep awareness of divine comfort- of faith, hope and love. Mary Magdalene and other disciples begin to change. Rejection, cross and tomb do not have the final word. Jesus is alive, and because He lives, His followers can also live in joy. And they can share this good news with others,
On Easter and every day, we Christians should be filled with great joy. In the New Testament, joy is more than ordinary happiness. A person may be happy about some Easter dessert, but true joy is spiritual. Jesus speaks of joy repeatedly (for example, John 15-17). Joy is connected with believing (Romans 15:13) and can come even through suffering(1 Peter 1:5-6). Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22). So we may not be superficially happy about many things in our world. We may be sad, troubled or worried about disease, disaster, injustice or personal issues. Those things are real. Yet, through faith in the good news of the risen Christ, we can still find deep and profound joy. On this day of all days, I conclude, "Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord" (Philippians 3:1)! He is  risen! Alleluia!

The Annunciation

The Prayer of the Day relates the Annunciation to the other events of redemption that we contemplate during Lent:

O Lord, pour your grace into our hearts; that, as we have known the incarnation of your Son Jesus Christ by the message of an angel, so by his cross and passion we may be brought into the glory of his resurrection; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

On this traditional feast day, we think of many things: the redemptive purpose of God the Father, the splendor of the messenger Gabriel, the gracious humility and faithful obedience of the Virgin Mary, and the mystery of the Incarnation. We also realize that all these wondrous aspects of the story receive their meaning through the Cross, Passion, and Resurrection of the One whose Birth is announced.

In almost any year, the Annunciation brings a bit of brightness into the Lenten season of repentance and discipline. This year, our situation is even more somber in the coronavirus pandemic and its reminders of human frailty and mortality. We need to hear the good news of redemption through Jesus Christ. He comes to be Immanuel, "God with us," and He is still with us in all circumstances. His abiding presence and grace are cause for joy even in somber times!

Epiphany 4 (A)- Matthew 5:1-12- Blessedness

The section of the Sermon on the Mount read today, Matthew 5:1-12, is known as the Beatitudes. These have been comforting words for generations of believers, but they are also very serious words. They talk about blessedness or true happiness. Some modern translations use the word “happy” here, but the meaning is deeper than we often mean by the word “happy.”  The traditional translation “blessed” is much more suitable and also appropriate for the Jewish context.  Our Lord isn’t just talking about being in a good mood or having a celebration. He is pointing to spiritual conditions or attitudes that reflect blessedness and deep joy before God.

The Beatitudes are the introduction to the whole Sermon on the Mount. In Matthew. Jesus presents the good news or Gospel of blessing and joy the discussion of God’s Law and its high expectations. In this way, our Lord stresses grace before He speaks of obligation. His followers begin by being rooted in awareness and trust in God’s goodness. This awareness, this trust, is necessary if their moral and spiritual pursuits are to be meaningful.

These nine beatitudes or declarations of blessedness in our text are deep and meaningful for all Christian faith and life. They apply to the basic attitudes and behavior of those who wish to follow Jesus. And they are not attainable by mere human effort or merit. They are divine gifts that depend upon divine grace.

Briefly, let us concentrate on one Beatitude, the first one. Matthew 5:3 says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” This first blessing is the beginning, the spiritual basis for all that follows. It is the basic disposition needed for all the other blessings to be received. What is this disposition? What does it mean to be “poor in spirit”? Being poor in spirit means recognizing that spiritually and morally we all have great need for God and His grace.

The poor in spirit are blessed by God reaching out to them, calling them, teaching them, and granting them the right disposition. In other words, being blessed this way starts with the grace of God. In the natural state, human beings do not want to be poor in spirit. Even quiet, humble, and sincere people tend to be afflicted with spiritual pride. We all like to think that we are better than we are. Even when we human beings are modest in our words or actions, we often have some false pride lurking in our hearts and minds.

So to become poor in spirit, we depend upon God the Holy Spirit touching our hearts and minds. We depend upon divine grace reaching out and starting to change our attitudes and dispositions. The first blessing is that God opens us up to faithful acceptance of His mercy and transforming power. Being poor in spirit is itself a gift of God that prepares us for His kingdom.

The Name of Jesus- January 1

The first of January has been associated with several liturgical observances over the history of the Church. Originally, this eighth day of Christmas marked the end of Christmas week. From the 500's onward, some Western Europeans commemorated the Circumcision and Naming of Jesus on this day. (By the way, January 1 was not observed as New Year's Day in many parts of Europe between the fall of Rome and early modern times.) 

Stressing Christ's circumcision fits in with the reality of the Incarnation. Jesus of Nazareth, God the Son, was a real Jewish male who humbled Himself, continued the covenant with Abraham and came to fulfill all righteousness. 

Stressing the name of Jesus is also appropriate. One finds this emphasis on the name in the traditional lessons. In the second reading from Philippians 2:9, we read, "God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow..." In the Gospel from St. Luke 2:21 , we read that at the circumcision the child "was called Jesus, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb."  Of course, Jesus, (Greek IESOU, Aramaic YESHUA, Hebrew YOSHUA,) was a common Jewish name, and more importantly, it means "The LORD saves."

In the case of this holy child, the common name takes on special significance. For this child born in Bethlehem is the Lord Himself come to save His people. And Christ's work to accomplish the heavenly Father's plan for human salvation is what gives Him a name above every name. What better way for us to begin the New Year than by praising His holy name and giving thanks for the salvation that has come in the Christ Child!