Philippians 4:4-7 In his Epistle to the Philippians, from which we read a few minutes ago, St. Paul makes it clear that he wants Christians who are living in this world to rejoice. He repeats this exhortation, just in case it didn’t fully sink in the first time: “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I…
1 Corinthians 4:1-5 Faithfulness in preaching God’s truth – on the part of those whom God has entrusted with this duty – is often not rewarded in this life or in this world. We recall the story of Jeremiah the Prophet, who in God’s name condemned the sins of the rulers and people of Judah,…
Malachi 4:1-6 In today’s reading from the Book of Malachi, the prophet serves as the mouthpiece of God in telling us what the coming of the Lord on the last day will be like. He says: “For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, and all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly…
Matthew 21:1-9 We read in today’s text from St. Matthew: “Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, ‘Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me. And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, “The Lord…
Malachi 4:4-6 Please listen with me to a reading from the fourth chapter of the Prophet Malachi, beginning at the fourth verse. The Lord is speaking: “Remember the Law of Moses, My servant, which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments. Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet…
Isaiah 40:1-11 There is something inside every human being that gives him or her an innate desire to live, and to avoid death for as long as possible. Indeed, the quest for immortality is one of the recurring themes of the human imagination. It is reflected in history. In the sixteenth century, Ponce de Leon…
Malachi 4:1-6 Fire. Heat. Sunshine. Light. These are familiar images. Especially at this time of year, these images resonate with us in positive ways: as we wish that we could replace the cold temperatures we endure during a Minnesota winter with more heat, and replace the darkness of our short days with more sunshine. But…
Isaiah 2:1-5 Please listen with me to these words from the second chapter of the Prophet Isaiah, beginning at the first verse: The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be…
Matthew 11:2-15 John the Baptist was a prophet – and even more than a prophet. So says Jesus, in today’s text from St. Matthew’s Gospel. He was the immediate forerunner of the Messiah, preparing the people of Israel for his arrival. He called them to repentance, and administered to them a baptism of repentance for…
Luke 21:5-36 In today’s Gospel from St. Luke, Jesus tells his disciples about the future. And I’m sure that they are listening very attentively. There is a built-in curiosity in all of us about what the future holds. This arises in part because of the innate sinful desire that we all have – inherited from…