Matthew 1:18-25 In today’s Gospel from St. Matthew, we are told that Joseph was a just man – or, what would be a better translation, a righteous man. This description of Joseph’s character applies to more than one aspect of his life. First, it means that he was an honorable and moral man. He had…
Luke 2:10-11 EXORDIUM: Christ is born! Let us glorify him! Today is the festival of the Nativity of Our Lord. It recalls the day in Bethlehem, so many centuries ago, when God’s Son entered into this world, and set out on his life’s journey as humanity’s Savior. God’s Son had, of course, been a part…
Luke 2:8-12 Christ is born! Let us glorify him! “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign…
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…